Former Bharathinagar MLA N Rajanna has filed a complaint with the Lokayukta on the controversial grant of 4 acres and 28 guntas of BBMP land on lease to a private club.
The BBMP had extended the lease for 35 years in 2010 following a decision taken by the State Cabinet. The land has been shown as a playground in the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and there has been no change in land use.
Rajanna has alleged that the Indian Gymkhana Club is raising permanent structures on the land though there is a condition not to build any structures beyond 1 acre and 8 guntas.
Upalokayukta Justice Subhash B Adi has issued notices to BBMP and BDA commissioners, Principal Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Department and Additional Director, Town Planning Department, BBMP.
The issue was also raised in the Assembly last year and CM Siddaramaiah, in a written statement, had mentioned that the decision was taken by the previous government. According to the complaint, the club was accorded extension of lease from 1932. In 1972, the Bangalore City Corporation extended the lease for 35 years. In 2008, the BBMP did not extend the lease.
Later, the then BBMP commissioner recommended grant of lease for 1 acre and 8 guntas on condition that no construction should be made beyond this land. The recommendation proposed to notify the remaining area as a playground.
However, the club approached the then chief minister B S Yeddyurappa seeking renewal of lease for 4 acres and 21 guntas. The matter was placed before the Cabinet and an order was passed in May 2010.
“There are certain questions like whether the state government can direct the City Corporation to lease the land belonging to the corporation or whether without change of land use as per Karnataka Town and Country Planing Act, the playground shown in CDP could have been used for permanent construction,” Justice Adi told Express.
MLC M C Nanaiah said the Yeddyurappa-led Cabinet overruled the recommendation made by the then BBMP commissioner. “The commissioner had stated that the club should not use the playground area. The present government should nullify this order so that the BBMP can recover the land,” he said.