Plenty of building violations here

Plenty of building violations here
By S Lalitha, DH News Service, Bangalore:
Padmanabhan, a resident of 5th Cross A at Kalyan Nagar (earlier known as Hennur-Banaswadi Road Layout) was threatened by a six-member gang at his residence a couple of days ago.

The reason: he objected to a granite factory coming up next to his house. The case of one commercial establishment trying to set shop in this BDA residential layout is not an isolated one.

Commercial establishments setting shop on housing sites abound in the Fifth `A’ Cross and `B’ Cross, charges the leading resident organisation here, The North Eastern Residents Joint Action Front.

It has been knocking at the doors of all top BBMP officials for support in its two-year fight against such violation of bylaws and sanctioned plans.

One of the residents, S Thyagaraj, Senior Manager, Infrastructure, at Infosys Technologies, had sought information under the RTI Act against one such building, Lakshmi Plaza, and holds details on violations perpetrated. As per the plan sanctioned, a ground floor and first floor were supposed to come up on 1,230 sq ft of land for residential purposes. Instead, a basement (for commercial structure), a ground floor and two floors had been constructed on 3,200 sq ft. The association has approached the Upa Lokayukta with a list of 15 such violations in the road and Upa Lokayukta has issued notices in this connection on March 13 this year.
Kalyan Nagar, which fell under the K R Puram CMC earlier, now comes under BBMP Bangalore East. Under the CDP Masterplan 2015, commercial establishments have been permitted on residential sites under the `Mutation Corridor’ concept. The bylaws state that the minimum road width must be 60 feet and minimum frontage must be 40 feet. However, the road in this area is only 40 feet, points out vice-president of the front L S Narayanan. It is on mere `30x40 ft’ approved sites that most multi-storyed complexes have sprung up.

What happens
Elaborating on the modus operandi, Padmanabhan alleges, “At the construction stage itself, the violation is committed in a big way. Permission is then sought from the Revenue department to collect tax for it similar to that for commercial structures. Later water, commercial power and trade licence are applied and obtained based on the tax payment bill.”

Additional Commissioner (East Zone), S Puttaswamy, said he had not heard of any violations taking place in the area. “We have heard of them in Indiranagar, Richmond Road, Residency road and Koramangala and have initiated action.

“If there are any violations, the residents must complain to the Assistant Executive Engineer. He will issue a notice and in case there is no response, also file an FIR against them. He is also empowered to issue another notice and go in for demolition of the construction,” he added.