Bengaluru
The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) continued the anti-encroachment drive on Tuesday in Mahadevapura and Yelahanaka zones, where the civic body has removed illegal structures at 18 places that have come up on storm-water drains.
At the Mahadaevapaura zone, the BBMP removed illegal structures at Shantiniketan Layout, Papaiah Reddy Layout, Challaghatta and in Yelahanka zone, it has removed encroachments in Satellite town.
“Officials of BBMP, Revenue Department, Police Department, and marshalls on Tuesday conducted the anti-encroachment exercise at 18 places in Mahadevapura and Yelahanka zones, which were causing flooding,” a senior BBMP official said.
Nalapad academy
The BBMP officials have demolished 50 metres of the compound wall of Nalapad Academy, owned by Shanthinagar Congress MLA N.A. Haris. BBMP officials said, “Nalapad Academy had encroached upon a 2.5-metre wide and 150.5-metre long SWD in Survey Number 70/14 in Challaghatta. About 50 metres of encroachment has been cleared today and still, the drive of removing illegal structure on SWD is going on,” officials added.
Meanwhile, the BBMP officials have cleared illegal encroachments of SWDs by seven buildings and four compound walls in Shantiniketan Layout. In Papaiah Reddy Layout, the apartment wall built on a rajakaluve and four sheds built on the empty space of rajakaluve have been cleared, while one compound wall and one empty space encroached upon in Basavanapura were also cleared and seized by the authorities.
In Yelahanka, officials of the civic body cleared 120 metres of SWD encroached upon by NCBS.
“The encroachment of the SWDs in the city is being surveyed and marked by land surveyors of the Revenue Department and the encroachment clearance operation is being carried out by the BBMP. The anti-encroachment operation will continue in the coming days,” officials added.
BJP MLA Arvind Limbavali from Mahadevapura constituency said that the slabs of the Epsilon Villa drain, which obstructed the flow of water in the rajakaluve near Yemlur of Mahadevpura Assembly constituency, were cleared by officials. “Rajakaluve encroachment is a major cause of disaster caused by rainwater in our area and it is very important to clear it,” he added.
Drive opposed
Meanwhile, local residents of Mahadevapura opposed the BBMP drive and questioned officials, asking if the buildings are constructed on SWD illegally, why had the BBMP approved the plan.
“We constructed houses 30 years back, and the layout was planned 50 years back. Now, without notice, the BBMP is demolishing houses in the area. If people have encroached on the rajakaluve, then how did banks give loans and authorities approve it,” questioned Murali Kumar, a resident of Shanthinekitan Layout.
According to Mr. Limbavali, the authorities have conducted drives on Gopalan School premises in Basavananagar, Epsilon Villa near Yemalur, and areas within the Eco Space near Bellandur. “The slabs of the Epsilon Villa drain, which obstructed the flow of water in the rajakaluve near Yemalur of Mahadevapura Assembly constituency, were cleared. Rajakaluve encroachment is a major cause of disaster caused by rainwater in our area and it is very important to clear it,” he said in a tweet on Tuesday.
