BENGALURU: Rattled by the demolition drive against encroachments, the Confederation of Real Estate Developers of India (CREDAI) charged the government with damaging the image of ‘Brand Bengaluru’ internationally. “It is creating a fear psychosis,” said CREDAI national chairman Irfan Razack.
The government is going by a century-old map of the city over the Comprehensive Development Plan, he said. “The CDP is like the Bible to us. The CDP 2005-2015 has expired and the government has not had the time to come out with a Master Plan for 2015-2025,” Razack said. “You cannot suddenly give us a new scripture and ask us to follow it,” he said.
CREDAI members pay taxes of up to Rs 15,000 crore annually, Razak said. “We do not have any vested interest or is any lobby working to stop the demolitions,” he said.
Razack also said that big developers including malls who invest thousands of crores in a project will not indulge in violations that make them vulnerable.
Calling for the creation of a network of drains for the entire city, he said CREDAI is willing to support it as a Public-Private Partnership venture. “We will make developers spend their CSR funds for it.”
Nagendra, member, Executive Management, HDFC Bank, said the CDP was passed by the Assembly which means it had the approval of the people. “Bengaluru has the largest number of multinational companies. They are losing trust in the city and looking at other places,” he claimed.
Naresh Venkatram, Managing Partner of Venkatramanan Associates, said there was a need for cartographic accuracy when carrying out demolitions. “Maps were done in 2002 using satellite imagery and we have the best satellite technology in the world. Making use of maps made in 1903 is nothing but a farce,” he said.
The lakes in the city were all man-made ones and flooding has been caused only because SWDs were filled with sewage let into them illegally, he charged. Big companies were not getting demolished as they had all the sanctioned plans, he claimed.
Later, during a press briefing about the charges made against big real estate developers for violations (by ex-corporator N R Ramesh and others), Razack said, “They are wild allegations and this is witch-hunting. We don’t know what the motives are.”
When asked about many CREDAI members being named by the Koliwad Committee, he said, “If we get any notice, then we will take recourse to law.”