BENGALURU: After a weekend break for its storm water drain encroachment removal drive, BBMP resumed its much debated operations on Monday. Mahadevapura Special Commissioner Dr KV Trilok Chandra said the drive was taken up at five places on Monday.
The first target was a concrete bridge built by Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) on its Sewage Treatment Plant premises behind Marathahalli Police Station in Kadubeesanahalli, which has come up on a storm water drain that connects the Bellandur wetlands.The compound wall of an apartment near Garudacharpalya Lake was cleared. A shed on the rajakaluve behind East Park Ridge and road built on it were also cleared.
In response to the BBMP’s drive, CEO of Puravankara Limited Abhishek Kapoor said: “Puravankara’s Park Ridge on 13 acres of land here is legitimate, as per the plan approvals given by BDA. BBMP has no locus standi as far as this property is concerned, as the approvals were given by BDA.”
Chandra said, “Encroachment clearance drive is being taken up following the Revenue department report. The markings were done by the department and the drive taken up accordingly, which has the old as well as new list.”
BBMP claims that a 2.4-metre canal covered with slabs at Wipro premises is being cleared under the supervision of corporation officials. A 75-metre long compound wall and two sheds were cleared on both sides of the rajakaluve in Vijayalakshmi Colony of Kadugodi.
Notices were given to eight of 10 houses on the rajakaluve. As some of the dwellers gathered and asked the Palike to move its excavators to high-profile areas and villas, sensing a law and order issue, marshals and police were deployed, and the drive was taken up. It will continue on Tuesday too.
After BBMP moved its excavators to Green Wood Residency, an apartment complex next to Wipro to clear a 150-metre long block on the rajakaluve, residents raise doubts. Jayashankar S Nair said, “The society has been existing for 17 years, and now all of a sudden the civic body has a problem. It looks like we are becoming soft targets of this drive.”