BENGALURU: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) on Monday demolished four commercial structures and three sheds at Somashettyhalli that had been built in violation of the Supreme Court order on Dr K Shivaram Karanth Layout.
The 10-hour demolition operation carried out after prior intimation to the owners was marked by high drama as T-Dasarahalli MLA R Manjunath and his supporters tried to stall it.
A three-storied building made of Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC), three two-storied RCC buildings and three sheds covered with Asbestos Cement sheets were razed to the ground using four excavators and 5 Breakers.
The demolition operation which began at 7 am wound up by 5 pm, said a BDA official. A nearly 200-strong police force offered protection to around 50 people, including 12 BDA engineers, carrying out the demolition.
According to a highly placed BDA source, "These were commercial constructions that had come up during the last ten months. The SC had clearly laid down directions that any building that is being done after August 3, 2018, on land notified for the formation of the Layout will be deemed illegal. Along with that, an additional violation too has been committed by those who built them - putting up commercial buildings in an area marked as a residential layout."
Localites began putting up resistance as soon as the demolition commenced. There was more drama a couple of hours later. "The local MLA Manjunath arrived with a large number of supporters and demanded that it be stopped. There were angry arguments for over half an hour over the demolition. We finally convinced the MLA that we were following SC orders only," said an official.
The MLA and his supporters were made to leave the scene by cops in a bus and the demolition continued smoothly after that.
Another official said that notices were issued to the owners a few days ago about the impending demolition. The demolished buildings had the Survey numbers 52/1, 54/5 and 55/2. "These lands are notified for acquisition and the owners would be compensated with 9583 sq m of developed site for every acre acquired," he explained.
This is the third such demolition of illegal structures in the upcoming Dr Karanth Layout within the last four months. BDA officials told this reporter that more such demolitions are in the offing. "Nearly 500 unauthorised structures spread across 16 villages have been identified in a survey conducted by BDA with Somashettyhalli and Lakshmipura topping in the violations list," an official said.