BENGALURU: Despite starting the drive against illegal commercial establishments with much gusto, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has found itself losing steam. They previously announced that the entire city would be covered by February end but have missed this deadline. Manoj Kumar Meena, Special Commissioner, Projects, BBMP, said, “We have been able to shut down less than 10 per cent of the shops that were given notices. Because of various other projects that we are working on, this drive against illegal commercial establishments slowed down. However, we will pick up the pace once more as this is a continuous process.”
He added that the focus is on establishments running in basements, violating the building bye laws and also those that have encroached on the footpath. “These are more so in areas such as Koramangala and Indiranagar,” Kumar said. As per data shared by the Palike, the number of establishments shut down after notices are handed out are little in comparison to the numbers stated in media reports from January. Of the 8,493 notices given out, only 751 shops have been shut down so far (8.84 per cent).
For example, of the 1,400 establishments given notices in the south zone, 118 have been shut down. The east zone which has the highest number of notices given out, that is to 3,500 establishments, has managed to shut down only 147 of them. Zonal officers told City Express that the drive is ongoing but will take more time.
“Seven days time is given to a business owner after a notice is given, after which we shut down the shop. We can recall their trade licence,” said a BBMP official. While protests against noise pollution from illegal pubs, bars and restaurants have been ongoing for the past few years by resident welfare associations in the city, the drive only began when Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara instructed BBMP to launch a drive against footpath and road encroachments across the city. In several cases, the establishments function in areas marked as residential as per zonal regulations.