BENGALURU: Last year, the BBMP had demolished more than 30 houses citing encroachment of Storm Water Drains (SWD) at Doddabommasandra in Vidyaranyapura. Though the civic agency was supposed to construct drain last year, it never took off.
They began construction only last week and the residents now fear another wave of demolition.
Dr Ramya, a local resident, expressed displeasure over the way the construction had started. “There is no display board capturing the details of the project. We have absolutely no clue about the project, but we fear that more houses would be demolished. The BBMP has not furnished any detail to us despite our repeated representations,” she added.
In June 2016, the High Court had issued directions to the revenue department to issue survey records to the petitioner, Siddalingaiah. The department, in its defence, explained that the earlier records were not available on account of brittling and they would need time to rebuild the entire record.
Sunil Yadav, Secretary, Citizens Action Forum Welfare Association (CAFWA), confirmed that they have not received the survey records and when they approached the BBMP, they were handed over the detail of road widening project dated June 20, 2015.
Though the BBMP lakes division has refuted the claims of the construction of SWD, the Major Road department of the civic agency has confirmed the reports of the widening of the road along with the construction of a six-feet wide drain.
“The work should have been completed two years ago but it was delayed. No houses as such will be demolished,” said Mr Sundaresh, Assistant Engineer, BBMP.
The entire project was estimated at Rs 4 crore. After the construction of the drain, Sundaresh added that electric poles will be shifted elsewhere to take up road widening.
Local corporator Jayalakshmi Pillappa allayed the fear of the residents and assured that no demolition work has been incorporated in the project.
