BENGALURU: When BBMP’s earthmovers roared into Doddabommasandra for the second day, a sense of panic gripped the area. Shopkeepers were seen hurrying to salvage their goods and carting out their belongings, while residents stood by teary-eyed, watching their houses being reduced to rubble.
Of the 100 properties identified for demolition at Doddabommasandra, BBMP has razed over 90 unauthorised constructions on storm water drains (SWD) in the last two days — 60 structures were demolished on Wednesday and 30 on Thursday.
Prasanna, a shopkeeper, said, “I was informed on Wednesday evening that barring 10 feet, my entire shop will be brought down as the storm water drain passes through this place. On Thursday morning, as I was having my coffee at 8am, my friends informed me that BBMP was ready to demoliosh my shop. I could save just a few articles. They did not even give me time to take the items out of the shop.”
Prakash Rao, whose house was demolished on Thursday, said, “The situation is very grave. We are all on the streets. Some are staying with their friends while others at their relative’s. But what next? We are left with many unanswered questions.”
Anjanamma Muniraju, a resident, said, “We have spent our savings to build our houses. In the last 20 years, nobody bothered to check about the SWD. And now they come and demolish our houses. Where do we go from here? What about our losses?”
Many residents are meeting each other to discuss the way forward and options available to them. “We have to do something. But, at this moment, we are a confused lot and we have no idea what to do,” said Prasanna.
BBMP has targeted all structures located on the 33-feet-long SWD that runs along Doddabommasandra feeder lake and connects to Rachenahalli and Dasarahalli before merging into Hebbal valley.
The BBMP commissioner said, “All joint commissioners have been marking structures in various localities and asking people to remove encroachments on their own. At the zonal level a lot of work has been initiated. Announcement of the next demolition drive will be made later.”
Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTF) chief Suneel Kumar said, “We will finish the demolition drive in Doddabommasandra and then head to other areas. We might wait for the new survey before starting the demolition drive again.”