Bengaluru: This tragedy could have been averted had the BBMP and the elected representatives responded to the repeated complaints raised by the Residents Welfare Association, Bangalore East (REWABE) against blatant violation of building rules.
Since 2011, they have been complaining to BBMP engineers, Joint Commissioners of East Zone and MLA K.J. George, in this regard, but no action was taken.
Even on last Saturday during a ward committee meeting at Maruti Seva Nagar, the residents had raised the issue and demanded officials to crack down builders constructing buildings in violations in building plans.
They have not maintained sufficient distance from roads and nearby buildings as mandated by law, and extra floors other than what was sanctioned were built, REWABE representatives had complained in a letter to Mr George in July 2015.
They had also mentioned that the BBMP Assistant Executive Engineer was conniving with private property developers to allow multi-storied buildings to come up along the narrow roads of Cooke Town in complete violation of building bye-laws and without any regard to sanctioned plans.
In a span of four years, more than nine assistant executive engineers are changed. When we repeatedly followed up the AEEs as to why they are not taking any action, they revealed that they are being pressured by political heavyweights to issue Occupancy Certificates and not take action against illegalities, a representative of REWABE said.
He further pointed out that they have written letters, along with the pictures of buildings violation, to BBMP Commissioner but he too passed the buck and said the issue will be addressed by Joint Commissioner (East). Mr George too has not taken any steps to curb this builder mafia, he added.
Residents say more disasters are waiting to happen as there are many more buildings which were constructed in violation of laws.
Mayor Gangambike who inspected the spot said that the violators including the BBMP engineer will not be spared.
