BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) announced an extension of the deadline for 5,000 site allottees of the Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda Layout Phase-II to make full payment and obtain their site ownership documents. But in the absence of official communication from the state government, the BDA has been giving allottees their ownership documents only on the condition that they sign a conditional letter offering to pay a penalty in case the government does not approve the extension.
At the time of allotment of sites — which varies on different dates between October 2018 and March 2019 for allottees —the site owners were offered a 60-day period to make full payment without penalty. The penalty was fixed at 18% annual interest for payment between 60-90 days and 22% for payment between 90-120 days. The last date for payment was extended twice, with a 30-day period given during each extension.
Mahesh Rajashekhar, a senior engineer in a private firm, had completed his full payment of Rs 11 lakh for his 30x20 sq ft site, located near Arisikere. However, now his registration has been put on hold by BDA officials as he had made his payment during the extended deadline period. “When I went to the head office on May 30 to ask for a registration date for my site, I was told to come after some days due to the absence of the required letter from the government,” he told The New Indian Express.
In homemaker Annapoorna’s case, a BDA official asked her to sign a letter attached to the Lease-Cum-Sale Deed document for her 40x30 sq ft site in the layout, which says in case government does not issue the letter, the owner has to pay the previously fixed penalty. “Along with eight sheets of document, they have added another sheet and made us sign it,” her son Anil Kumar, a software engineer, said. “The irony is that the extended deadline information has been displayed by the BDA in its office. We have completed our full payment of Rs 23 lakh but do not know if we have to pay more in future now,” he said.
BDA Secretary Basavaraju said the government orally approved the move. “The government asked us to send a proposal on the extension of deadline. It has been delayed due to the election season. As soon as we send it, they will amend the BDA Act and get it ratified by the Cabinet.”