BENGALURU: Members of the Prestige Whistling Palms Owners and Residents’ Association have alleged that officials of Bengaluru East City Corporation (BECC) have been sending notices accusing them of violating building bylaws after they complained about a commercial building being built in their layout.
Despite a court order to issue notices to the owner of the commercial building under Section 248 (1),(2), and (3) of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Act for violation of bylaws, the corporation has not taken any action. Now, a few more such buildings are being built in the layout, the members said.
Meanwhile, the building owner, Manohar Rao, said that he is being unnecessarily targeted by a few residents as he refused to pay certain fees of the association.
The members staged a protest recently appealing to the corporation officials not to allow such commercial buildings in residential areas.
“This locality has no BWSSB water and drainage connections and all residents have soak pits. If such commercial buildings are allowed, the locality will face the issue of sewage disposal,” a resident said.
The association members claimed that in August last, corporation officials visited the locality and filed a report. The officials stated that the owner of the building in question has violated the bylaws. However, they failed to act against the owner.
Instead of acting against the owner under the GBA Act, the officials sought details regarding the buildings of association members and stated that they would conduct an inspection on April 8. This action is to silence the association members, a senior citizen of the locality said.
Manohar Rao said that he got the corporation’s order quashed by the high court. The initial order was to proceed with notices under Section 248, which is a provisional order. “I got the order quashed by the court,” he said, adding that the deviation is only around 15%.
The building is on ECC Road, which is 40 ft. The road is part of the comprehensive development project (CDP) and such construction is allowed, he said.
BECC assistant executive engineer Gururaj did not respond.