Bengaluru South City Corporation Orders Action on Commercial Use of Basements, Encroachments and Stormwater Drains
Bengaluru, September 2: Bengaluru South City Corporation officials have ordered action against unauthorised commercial use of basements, footpath encroachments and encroachment of civic amenity sites, while directing officials to speed up stormwater drain desilting, lake development, road works and solid waste management measures in HSR Layout and Arekere.
GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao and Bengaluru South City Corporation Commissioner K.N. Ramesh conducted inspections in HSR Layout and Arekere along with Bommanahalli MLA Satish Reddy on Wednesday morning and heard grievances from local residents at Twin Park in HSR Layout and Arekere Park.
Residents said stormwater flowing from Madiwala, BTM Layout and Puttenahalli towards Bellandur Lake passes through HSR Layout and sought a separate drainage system along the service road to prevent drains from overflowing and water entering houses during the monsoon.
Maheshwar Rao directed officials to undertake desilting of stormwater drains on priority using suction pumps and robotic equipment to remove accumulated silt and waste and ensure the smooth flow of rainwater.
He also instructed officials to immediately call tenders for installing wire fencing and undertaking development works at lakes in the Bommanahalli area, including Somasundarapalya Lake.
Officials were directed to complete white-topping and repair works on Bannerghatta Road between JD Mara and IIMB within the stipulated period without disrupting public traffic. Maheshwar Rao also asked officials to resolve at the earliest issues relating to the corporation’s zonal boundaries in Singasandra and AECS Layout.
On solid waste management, the Chief Commissioner directed that GPS devices be installed on garbage collection autos in all eight wards of the Bommanahalli constituency, including Bilekahalli, and that CCTV cameras be made mandatory at secondary transfer points.
During the inspection, the MLA requested that vacancies among pourakarmikas arising from retirements and deaths be filled. Officials were also told to continuously monitor sanitation work and ensure that commercial establishments do not dump waste along roadsides. Businesses were directed to keep dustbins within their premises and hand over waste to collection vehicles.
The inspection covered footpaths at Jai Sriram Circle on 19th Main and at 17th and 27th Cross in HSR Layout. Maheshwar Rao directed officials to issue notices to contractors who had dug up footpaths for laying UGC cables and left them unrestored. If contractors fail to carry out repairs, the corporation should restore the footpaths and recover twice the cost from them, he said.
The Chief Commissioner also directed officials to issue notices and close establishments using basements for unauthorised commercial purposes, including the ‘Waggle Up’ shop.
Officials were instructed to trim tree branches obstructing pedestrian movement on footpaths and remove unauthorised structures put up at Swabhimana Park. Maheshwar Rao also directed officials to conduct towing operations with the assistance of traffic police and impose fines on vehicles parked on footpaths. Signal and road median works were to be taken up immediately wherever required.
The inspection later continued in Arekere ward with MLA Satish Reddy and Commissioner K.N. Ramesh. Residents sought fencing to protect civic amenity sites in the ward, valued at more than ₹200 crore, from alleged illegal encroachment.
Satish Reddy said civic amenity sites in BDA layouts and land belonging to the BMTC bus stand in BTM 5th Stage had been encroached upon and requested immediate removal of the encroachments. He also sought removal of large trees in Bhagavathi Layout that were damaging houses and sumps, and comprehensive development of BDA parks.
Ramesh directed BDA and corporation engineers to conduct a joint survey in Arekere, identify the boundaries of every civic amenity site and park, remove unauthorised encroachments and install wire fencing.
He also ordered removal of footpath encroachments and action against commercial complexes using basements for business activities when the space is meant only for vehicle parking. Notices should be issued to such establishments, he said.
The Commissioner also reviewed an indoor stadium constructed at a cost of ₹5 crore. Noting concerns that poor maintenance had left the facility vulnerable to misuse, he directed officials to repair it immediately and open it for public use.
Contractors were instructed to complete development works at Arekere and Hulimavu lakes within the prescribed timeline.
Ramesh also warned BWSSB officials that roads dug up for underground drainage works must be scientifically restored immediately after completion of the work. He said permission for future road-cutting works would not be granted if the roads were not properly restored.
Additional Commissioner Dr Naveen Kumar Raju, Chief Engineer Basavaraj Kabade, Malathi and other officials were present during the inspection.
About the Author
