BENGALURU: Civic activists and residents have criticised Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath for his alleged inaction against developers constructing illegal buildings across Bengaluru. They accuse him of allowing violators to complete their projects unchecked, despite clear violations of building norms.
One such case has surfaced in Seegehalli, where a building owned by Jayaram Naidu was allegedly constructed without any sanctioned plan or approvals. Activists claim that instead of taking action, BBMP authorities gave Naidu ample time to finish the illegal construction. This is not Naidu’s first instance of flouting regulations. According to residents, he has previously built two other unauthorised structures that have received notices from BBMP.
Residents of SS Layout in Seegehalli of Basavanapura Ward in KR Puram, allege that the Chief Commissioner delayed hearings for 106 days, postponing them at least four times, which ultimately enabled Naidu to complete the construction of his illegal building on Sai Mandir Road.
“Violators are required to maintain the status quo and halt construction once a notice is issued. However, in the Mahadevapura BBMP zone, developers seem to operate without any fear of the Commissioner or his orders,” said Sandeep Anirudhan, a civic activist, who is also a resident of Mahadevapura zone. “The top official does not seem to be taking any action against negligent officials,” he added.
Residents highlight the case of Appeal Number 285/2024, involving the controversial Seegehalli building, where BBMP repeatedly postponed hearing- from November 30, 2024 to December 7, then from December 21 to February 1, and again from February 15 to March 15.
A senior official from BBMP’s legal department noted that, previously, citizens had to represent BBMP in court on such matters. However, following a High Court directive, the Chief Commissioner is now responsible for hearing cases and passing final orders. “One of the main reasons illegal buildings are not razed is the lack of cooperation and support from ward engineers. If the Chief Commissioner suspends five to six ward engineers across different zones, we might finally see some change,” the official stated. BBMP has also issued notices to Naidu’s other projects in the same locality- Building No 17 and 18, which reportedly has 46 flats, including a penthouse, across six floors, allegedly violating multiple building bylaws.