Real struggle: 93-year-old does BDA rounds for site papers
While this battle could get some kind of closure next month, Narayan is quite unhappy about it.
Published: 17th June 2023 10:05 AM | Last Updated: 17th June 2023 10:05 AM | A+A A-
Image used for representational purpose only. (Pexels)
BENGALURU: For a blunder committed by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) officials, 93-year-old retired PWD engineer Lakshmi Narayan has frequented its head office countless times seeking succour. He is desperate to get the original ownership documents of the family property so that he can transfer it to his three daughters in his lifetime. But it is proving to be a real struggle.
This, despite the High Court verdict in his favour in 2012 directing the BDA to help him out. The issue boils down to this: Narayan’s sister was allotted a BDA site in Jakkur village in Arkavathy Seventh Block in 2013. This was after six attempts made by the family failed. He had approached the court a year earlier pointing to the seniority (number of attempts) of his sister being ignored when allotment of sites was made. The court pulled up BDA and ordered allotment of a site to the family, directing it to consider the allotment on par with the batch of allotments made in 2006.
According to the rules (Allotment of Sites Rules, 1984), the original property documents — the Absolute Sale Deed — are handed over to the allottee only after expiry of 10 years from the date of lease-cum-sale agreement. This period in Narayan’s case ended in 2016.
However, he has still not got the documents, and continues to run from one office to another for them. “I am yet to get my absolute sale deed from the BDA. I am keen on transferring the 60x40 sqft site allotted in the name of my deceased sister which she had willed to my daughters in their names. BDA wants to hand over the absolute sale deed only after the mandatory ten-year lease cum sale period passes. They are ready to give it on July 17, 2023. I have visited the office countless times pleading with multiple commissioners that my ten-year period ended in 2016 itself. However, this is not being paid heed to.”
He added, “At my age, staying alive every day is a miracle. I really hope I am able to do this for my daughters.”
While this battle could get some kind of closure next month, Narayan is quite unhappy about it. “It will be the month of Ashada which is not an auspicious one and I do not want to do any registrations at that time. I have pleaded with BDA officials recently to advance it by a month. I will know about the outcome shortly,” he said.
A senior BDA official told TNIE, “We will have to go by rules and plan to give it to him on July 17. However, I will tell the caseworker and request the Commissioner to advance it by a month.”
