Palike gets FIR lodged against house owner for unauthorised excavation

There is a possibility of damage to neighbouring houses, too, as the work was being done without taking any precautions, said Palike engineers.

Part of a drain and footpath collapsed due to unauthorised excavation Photo | Express

BENGALURU: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has got an FIR registered against a house owner for unauthorised excavation leading to the collapse of a part of a 70-foot-long drain.

According to Assistant Executive Engineer (RR Nagar sub-division) Varanarayana K, when the construction work was taken up near Ideal Homes Layout in Kenchenahalli of Rajarajeshwari Nagar zone, the Palike had sought details like plan approval and basement plan from the house owner under Section 313 of BBMP Act 2020.

The owner not only failed to respond, but went ahead with the unauthorised excavation of the ground, leading to the damage of the drain as well as the footpath along it. Even the BMTC bus stand along the drain is likely to collapse. Due to this, the department will incur a loss of Rs 20 lakh. “Hence, we filed a case against the site owner for causing damage to public property,” he said.

“We did not know who the owner was, and hence we had to put up the notice at the site. Later, we got to know the owner’s name as Manje Gowda, who was responsible for excavating the ground for about six-eight feet without obtaining map approval for construction of a building, due to which part of the drain and footpath collapsed, causing difficulty for public movement,” he said.

There is a possibility of damage to neighbouring houses, too, as the work was being done without taking any precautions, said Palike engineers.