1,600 residents pin hopes on CM

1,600 residents pin hopes on CM
By Basavaraj Itnaal, DH News Service, Bangalore:
For the 1,600 hapless residents of the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quarters in Ejipura, B S Yeddyurappa is the fourth Chief Minister, who they look up to save them from the jaws of death...


In the last few years, the EWS quarters have turned into a death trap as many blocks of the dilapidated buildings had collapsed in the past killing the residents.

In its last council meeting in October 2006, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) had decided to build new flats at no cost to the Palike under a joint venture with Maverick Holdings. But Akruthi Nirman, which competed in the bids and did not get the work, obtained a stay order from Karnataka High Court.

The stay was in force for 18 months without hearing, and in the meantime the blocks collapsed twice.

Finally, following an appeal from the government, the stay was vacated. Fearing further complications, the Palike resolution to award work to Maverick was cancelled during president’s rule. Sources, now say that a proposal to reverse governor’s decision is coming up before the cabinet.

Origins of a tragedy

In 1985-86, the then BMP had proposed to build 42 blocks of 36 houses each, in Neelasandra near Koramangala, for the poor with HUDCO funding of Rs 2.23 crore. In about 13 acres, 1512 houses were completed in 1991 and the total cost was Rs 4.75 crore. The EWS families were allotted the houses at Rs 50,000 each to be paid over 13 years in installments. Unfortunately, in the very year of allotment the houses developed cracks and a technical study by Torsteel Research Foundation suggested major repairs.

However, BMP shifted the responsibility on allottees and offered a rebate of Rs 5,000. Misfortune revisited the poor families in November 2003, when Block 13 collapsed. Again Torsteel made an emphatic suggestion to demolish and rebuild 21 blocks and mend 21 others.

This called for the BBMP to shell out three-time the original cost of the project. While BMP had no legal obligation to re-build the flats, it could not shirk its social responsibility. In January 2004, the BMP town planning panel mooted a proposal to relocate the families at no cost to the civic body.

In fact, the PPP option was envisaged to have more than Rs 10 crore per year by way of non-tax revenue apart from giving new flats free to the poor.

Stay order

Following a majority opinion of technical consultants, the Palike Works Committee shortlisted Maverick Holdings, to build 1,660 free flats for the poor along with a commercial complex in which BBMP had 50 per cent ownership. The proposal also got the mandatory assent of the Palike council in October 2006.

In November 2006, the losing bidder Akruthi Nirman approached the High Court, accusing the Palike of colluding with Maverick and allowing tampering of records. HC issued a stay order.

Petitioner's error

The drawings of basement parking submitted by Akruthi show unit car parking space at 2.25X4.50 mts, while Palike building bylaw requires it to be 3X6 mts. Works committee found this not acceptable and noted the same in its resolution. BBMP made a similar submission before the court.

During the High Court stay, a block of flats collapsed in June, 2007 and two persons died. On August 10 a boy, Siddique who went to play inside a demolished building, came in contact with a live wire and died.
On November 9, during diwali Block 34 collapsed in which two boys died and five were injured. Over 2000 residents protested the Palike's apathy.