Man Rents Out BBMP Shop, Makes a Fortune

BENGALURU:A man who was allotted a shop in KR Market by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) for Rs 400 a month has subleased the shop for Rs 50,000, claims

B R Nanjundappa, chairman of BBMP’s Standing Committee on Markets.

The committee on Friday inspected KR Market and seized six shops whose rental agreements have not been renewed for years. The civic body had sent the shop owners a notice last November. During the inspection, they found one shop which had been subleased.

Nanjundappa told Express that BBMP had given the lease of the 15x12 ft shop to one Nanjappa for a monthly rent of Rs 400. In turn, he subleased it to another person for Rs 50,000 a month. “When we went to seize the shop, the occupant told us that he was paying Rs 50,000 to Nanjappa, and so it cannot be seized. According to the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act, lessees cannot sublease their shops. So we seized the shop anyway,” he said.

The committee also warned all shop owners to make sure their rental agreements are renewed by 15 days to avoid a similar fate.

“We have locked up six shops. After seven days, with the permission of BBMP Commissioner Lakshminarayana, we will allot these shops to others,” Nanjundappa said.