Bengaluru Demolition Drive: Nearly 40 IT Companies, Including Wipro In Hit List

By
Pramod Hegde
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The demolitions are being undertaken by the BBMP after heavy rains flooded parts of Bengaluru last week. A majority of the encroachments have been identified in Mahadevapura, Bommanahalli, and Yelahanka zones.

Demolition Drive

After the rain caused havoc in India’s Silicon city, a massive demolition drive is conducted in parts of Bengaluru. Bulldozers can be seen rolling in several parts of Karnataka’s capital. The mega drive is being carried by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in Munnekollal, AECS layout, and Mahadevapura, among several other areas.

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According to the Hindustan Times, BBMP says the anti-encroachment drive is against illegal structures that have been built over stormwater drains in many areas including Rajakaluves (storm water drains) of Chinnappanahalli lake in Mahadevapura. The Karnataka government aims to clear all stormwater drains by the next monsoon. In fact, state Revenue Minister R Ashok also drew a parallel with the Noida twin towers. R Ashok said that ‘Bengaluru’s illegal structures will be removed in Noida twin tower style’.

Illegal encroachments on stormwater drain over the years were identified as one of the major causes of the flooding in the city last week. They were subsequently identified by the BBMP for demolition.

A ground that was built over a stormwater drain on the Gopalan College campus in Basavanagara was also demolished. Additionally, homes and shops in Munnekolala were leveled, and around 25-30 more buildings have been marked for the same. Residents in the area were given notices by the authorities to vacate their homes, quoted The News Minute.

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IT companies on Hitlist

Karnataka Revenue Minister R Ashok on Tuesday said that all buildings built illegally on Rajakaluve in Bengaluru city will be demolished.

“Thirty to forty IT companies have encroached the Rajakaluve in Bengaluru city and apartments will be demolished without any partiality,” said R Ashok on Rajakaluve encroachment.

According to India TV, The list of IT Parks and developers who have done SWD (stormwater drain) encroachments includes- Bagmane Tech Park and Purva Paradise in Mahadevapura, RBD in three locations, Wipro in Doddakannelli, Eco-Space in Bellandur, Gopalan in multiple locations & Diya school in Hoodi,” BBMP said in a statement.

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“Nalapad in Challaghatta is also a part of the list of IT Parks & developers indulging in SWD (stormwater drain) encroachments,” the source added.

BBMP asked to halt

Meanwhile, BBMP had to halt its anti-encroachment drive at Bagmane Tech Park, following a Karnataka Lokayukta order to follow due legal procedures before demolishing properties the Palike says are illegally located on stormwater drains (SWDs).

Bagmane raised numerous concerns, including non-issuance of notice by BBMP, besides alleging that the civic body was in collaboration with another realtor who has encroached on the SWD which had resulted in the blocking of water flow.

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To this, the BBMP argued that “the level (height) difference underneath the RCC drain put up by Bagmane was declining resulting in water-logging and flooding”, and that the drain was on encroached land.

BBMP, however, continued its demolition drive elsewhere in the city on Tuesday and cleared 18 encroachments at different places, including a compound wall 2.5 meters wide and 150.5m long at Nalapad Academy, seven buildings and four compound walls, four sheds at Shantiniketan and a 120-meter compound wall at Yelahanka. A BBMP official said more encroachments will be cleared over the next few days, reported TOI.

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