Bengaluru: The Bengaluru district administration began its encroachment clearance drive at Banaswadi, Siddapura village, Hirandahalli and Nagondanahalli on Saturday.
According to a senior officer at the Bengaluru district administration office, four places were cleared of encroachments. “During our survey and while checking the records, we found that the land belonged to the government which had been illegally encroached by individuals. Whenever we tried issuing notice to the people, who had illegally
encroached the land, they were absent, so we decided to carry out the encroachment drive.” He said, “On Thursday, we demolished the illegal structures and acquired the land and even put up notices stating that the land belonged to the government and anyone trespassing would be legally punished.”
The officer said that around 10 gunta of Gunduthoppu land was encroached by one Krishnappa in Banaswadi 100 Feet Road falling under KR Pura hobli. Krishnappa had illegally acquired the land and had leased it out to Ramakrishna, who set up a granite business. The administration got to know that the encroachment will happen on Saturday and shifted the entire set-up on Friday night itself.
Similarly, in Siddapura village in Varthur hobli, Hombe Gowda had encroached one acre of government land and had leased it out to a private company, Adarsha Developers, who were using it to park their vehicles. This land too was recovered.
In Hiranandahalli under Bidarahalli hobli, four acres of Gomala land were encroached by Aduru Murali and he was using it for farming. He had even approached the court claiming that the land belonged to him and had created fake papers. The court after examination ruled against him and ordered the administration to recover the land.
A one-acre of land was recovered in Nagondanahalli falling under the KR Pura hobli. D. Narayanappa had encroached the land, grown eucalyptus trees and claimed that the land belonged to his ancestors. But there were no records to prove his claims and the records showed that it was government’s property.
Another senior officer said that in all, six acres of land worth over Rs 50 crore were recovered. “There was no opposition from any of the individual who had acquired the land illegally. The encroachment drive was carried out legally under guidance of Vijay Shankar, Deputy Commissioner, Bengaluru District. All the government lands across the city which have been encroached will be recovered soon.”
