A BDA promise that has not been fulfilled even after years

 Lack of infrastructure in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda barangay, struggle to build house

 A BDA promise that has not been fulfilled even after years

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA)'s promises to construct a vehicular road to facilitate the construction of houses in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) are not being fulfilled even after years.

 Those who have got a plot in NPKL are not able to build a house. There is no 'motorable road' required to transport the building construction. The settlers who are struggling to transport the materials, despite building houses with difficulty, are struggling without water, electricity and drainage system.

 Over the years, the squatters and office bearers of the barangay association have written many letters to all levels of engineers, including the Deputy Chief Minister, BDA Chairman, BDA Commissioner, and have also submitted a petition in person. There are promises that 'the road will be ready in another month, in ten days' but in reality, no progress is being made in three months, six months or even years.

 BDA is developing roads using Soil Stabilization Technology (SST) for the first time in layouts. However, the necessary roads for the settlers have not yet been constructed.

 BDA officials say that 80% of the works have been completed in NPKL. However, there are no real privileges to build a house here,' complained the settlers.

 Some houses have been constructed in the 5th block. It has been requested many times to build roads suitable for traffic for them to travel and build new buildings. Even in the 6th block, the road has not progressed. Some parts of block 7 have been asphalted. Wet mix needs to be applied as a soil stabilization work in some areas,' said Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Barangay Open Forum President E. Channabasavaraja said.

Separate contractors have been given mandate in March to construct SST roads in 5th, 6th and 7th blocks of NPKL. Work is going on in the 7th block. The work in 5th and 6th block is still in the initial stage. The joint secretary of the forum, Suryakiran, complained that the tenders have not yet been called for constructing roads in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 8th and 9th blocks of the Layout.

 'No electricity connection, no drainage system'

 Those who have built houses in NPKL 5th block have not been given permanent electricity connection. Wherever houses are built, they are being given temporary connections from neighboring villages. Although it is said that there is a drainage system, the drainage water in the area where the roads are joined is flowing to the plots outside. Sewage water is said to go directly to the Waste Treatment Plant (STP). But the actual picture is different. There are no street lights. Madhusudhan, a resident of the 5th block, said that the cords are wrapped around the electric poles.

 When the BDA chairman came for inspection on August 14, he said that within 10 days, all the roads will be wet-mixed and allowed for vehicular traffic. However, not a single road has been improved so far,' complained Suryakiran.

 Works will start: Harris

 NPKL tenants have complained, work will be done. Can't do everything at once.  The work stopped due to rain and now it will be continued said BDA President N.A. Harris said.

 Technical problem: 

Construction of SST roads in 7th block of NPKL is nearing completion. 5th and 6th blocks are partially working.  BDA engineers said that there are technical problems in many parts, they will be rectified and the road work will be started.

'Bill not paid'

 The bill has not been paid to the contractor who is working on the drainage and water system in the 5th block of NPKL for a year. Hence, they have stopped the work. So the local engineers told us that they are not able to build SST roads," said Suryakiran, joint secretary of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Barangay Open Forum.

 SST: Cost of ₹121 crore

 There are about 15 thousand plots in 5th, 6th and 7th blocks of NPKL and 30 feet, 40 feet and 50 feet roads are being constructed in SST.  It was said that this is a more robust and durable technology than normal asphalt roads, and the cost will be reduced by 10% compared to concrete roads. As promised by BDA in January, these roads were to be constructed in nine months. 50% of the roads have been constructed in the 7th block. Work has not started on 5th and 6th block.

 ₹40.35 crore for 29 km SST road in 5th block, ₹40.36 crore for 28 km in 6th block and ₹40.33 crore for 29 km road in 7th block.

Bbmp ₹1539 crore scam : 'Initiate the department's inquiry by September 27'

 Since 2008, there has been mismanagement in Gandhinagar, Malleswara, Rajarajeshwarinagar areas

Bbmp ₹1539 crore scam : 'Initiate the department's inquiry by September 27'

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: According to the investigation committee report of retired justice Nagmohan Das, the departmental inquiry should be started by September 27 regarding the irregularities in BBMP's Gandhinagar, Malleswar and Rajarajeshwarinagar zones since 2008, the Legislative Council's Government Assurances Committee has instructed the BBMP.

 The government had formed a committee headed by retired Justice Nagmohan Das to investigate the alleged irregularities in 198 wards including the engineering departments of the three zones since 2008. The committee submitted a final report, which was discussed in detail in the Committee on Promises of the Legislative Council. Thus, based on the investigation report, the departmental inquiry should be initiated and reported within the next 15 days (September 27), the committee suggested, and the urban development department has ordered the BBMP through a note that 'action should be taken accordingly'.

 Make a separate list of the accused who are currently in service and prepare the information in the form of a table in which post they are currently working. It has been suggested that a separate list of retired persons and deceased persons should be prepared and furnished.

 What's the case?: 

There were allegations of irregularities in works worth ₹1,539 crore from 2008-09 to 2011-12 in Malleswar, Gandhinagar and Rajarajeshwarinagar. Bill registers and measuring books were not matched. About 10 thousand work orders were also found to be fake. The then Commissioner Siddaiah had handed over the case to the BMTF in November 2011 to investigate the matter. On November 19, a fire broke out in the office and computer room of the BMTF police station, and the computer and files were burnt. The government formed a committee under the leadership of retired Justice Nagmohandas after much indignation was expressed in the Corporation Council and Legislatures. The committee submitted its final report in 2017. 

List of Officers by Sep 21: Saravan

 Even after many years of Nagmohan Das's committee report, BBMP has not taken any action. Thus, it has been suggested in the assurances committee meeting held on September 13 that the department should start an investigation within 15 days. It has been suggested to submit the list of all the engineers and officers involved in the scandal by September 21," said T.A. Saravan told Prajavani.

 Report agreed, be acted upon: Nagmohan Das

 A detailed report has been submitted to the government about the irregularities in Malleshwar, Gandhinagar and Rajarajeshwarinagar zones. The government accepted this report and made a decision. But there was no order. Retired Justice Nagmohan Das said if action is being taken even now, it is a good development.

BDA Karantha Layout: BETTERMENT TAX fixed

BDA: Taxation based on guideline rates for 17 villages

BDA Karantha Layout: BETTERMENT TAX fixed

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) has fixed Betterment tax for residential purpose land and buildings of 17 villages under Shivramakaranta Layout.

 The Betterment Tax is fixed as per the guideline rate fixed by the Registration and Stamps Department. As per section 20 and 21 of the BDA Act, 1976, Betterment Tax is levied per square meter or per square meter.

 The matter was brought up in the meeting of the authority meeting, which was approved. A notification will be issued by the state government in a few days and BDA will start the process of collecting of Betterment tax.

 The rate of Betterment tax is fixed for the residential areas of the respective villages, while commercial purpose areas are charged 80% more than the tax fixed for residential plots. Tax will increase by 60% for industrial areas. If there is a corner plot or a road on both sides of the property, 10% more than the residential plot development tax is payable.

 Issue of Demand Notice: A 'Demand Notice' will be issued to pay Betterment tax to property owners in 17 villages under Shivaram Karantha layout. An officer has been appointed for that. If the tax is paid as per the notice, they will be issued a KHATA. This tax has been fixed after taking the advice of legal experts, said BDA financial member A. Lokesh said.

Tax as per BDA formula: Jayaram

 Betterment tax is fixed as per BDA formula. There is nothing more or less. One-third of the difference between the guideline rate in that village before BDA acquisition and the guideline rate in 2024 has been fixed as Betterment tax. All the people within the 17 villages are using the infrastructure developed by BDA for Karanta Layout. BDA commissioner N Jayaram said that the value of land will also increase by paying tax and issuing BDA KHATHA.

•  ₹51 thousand to ₹13.78 lakh for a 1200 sq ft plot
•  ₹1000 crore collection target
•  80 percent for commerce, 60 percent more for industry

Why is the tax not developed?

 Because of this, BDA has not provided any infrastructure to the surrounding villages. Gram Panchayat and BBMP have provided facilities in some parts. So why pay development tax to BDA. According to the guideline rate, those who set the tax should also give the same compensation' M.Ramesh Ramgondanahalli, coordinator of DSS (combined) Bangalore district, questioned.

'Digital Khatha' for property owners at the end of the month

 BBMP: Draft e-khatha available online; One month is allowed for objection

 'Digital Khatha' for property owners at the end of the month

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

BENGALURU: Digital Khata or e-Khata, which is treated as a 'Bhoo Aadhaar' document, will be available to property owners in the city by the end of September.

 Even though the property khatha is available online in rural areas of the state, BBMP has been lagging behind the system. The process was started a year ago with the intention of providing e-Katha to property owners of the city. Now in the final stage, the e-khatha of 20 lakh properties is being prepared. All information of properties has been digitized.

 In the draft e-khatha, the latitude and longitude along with the image of the property are recorded. It will be available online by the end of September. BBMP is also incorporating the details already collected under the Urban Property Ownership Record (UPOR) scheme into the e-khatha.

 Once the draft e-Khatha is available to the property owner, the details thereof should be verified. Objections should be submitted online if there is any change. Also, some documents are required to be submitted by the owner. BBMP intends to make the final e-Katha containing all that available to the citizens on November 1.

 Once e-Khatha is available, it is like 'Bhoo-Aadhaar' for property owners. The ownership of the property will be documented with a picture and a specific location," said Munish Moudgil, Special Commissioner, Revenue Department, BBMP.

Once the e-Khatha is officially available with the property, all further processes will be done online. All the information is also made available to the Sub Registrar offices. After the property sale process, one cannot go to any office to change the khtha. He informed that the transferred e-Khatha will be available to the new owner.

 Owner need to cooperate: Munish Moudgil

 150 personnel have been assigned to each ward to capture latitude, longitude of city properties. Property owners should cooperate with these personnel when they come,' requested Munish Moudgil, special commissioner of revenue department of BBMP.

 The owner should ensure that the latitude and longitude are recorded correctly. This will be a clear record of their property and it will remain unique' he said.

Property PID on BESCOM Bill: BBMP 

 BENGALURU: BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said that the Property Identification Number (PID) of the BBMP will be mentioned in BESCOM's electricity bill.

 A campaign has been launched to capture GPS information for every property and it is mandatory to issue e-Katha. For this, BBMP will visit the properties and the owners should cooperate with them, he told reporters on Friday.

 All the assets in the wards are already listed through the mobile application. He said that the BBMP staff records the GPS information of each property in the same application.

 E-Khata is like Bhu-Aadhaar for every property and will be an official document. As a further part of this, Bescom also informed that by entering the PID of the assets in the bills, clarity of the assets will be available.

 Tushar Girinath said that 'Citizen Module' will be started in the next few days where the citizens will capture the GPS of their assets and upload them in the software. 

 

Ganesha idol hit by hammer, axe!

 POP Ganapa which does not dissolve in the lake; BBMP personnel scramble to break the idol

 Ganesha idol hit by hammer, axe!

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: The Ganesha idols which were worshiped with devotion and carried in a procession from Sadagara and dissolved are being given 'pettu' with hammer and ax.

 Big idols made of other materials including POP are not soluble even in lake water. In the days after the discharge, the staff who have to clean the lake, inevitably have to break the idols.

 Despite many awareness programs and confiscation of stocks of POP idols in some places, the use of POP idols for worship in the city did not stop even this time. Although BBMP has requested many times to worship eco-friendly idols, some organizations are not giving recognition to this. That is why, ruins of idols are seen near lakes and Kalyanis.

 The big idols dissolved in Halasuru Lake have not dissolved. Idols are made of materials like fiber and wood including POP. The BBMP personnel, who had taken out these unmelted idols, scrambled to sort out the wreckage of the idol. At last the axe, hammer and cranes roared.

 Cleaning workers used hammers to break the unmelted idols. Even then, the idols that were not crushed were lifted up with the help of cranes and thrown down. However, they did not break.  He got it like chopping wood with an axe. He made many such efforts to separate the wastes like no other.

 "Despite various awareness campaigns, citizens continue to use idols made of POP and insoluble materials. They complain that if they oppose during the installation and dissolution, they will obstruct the religious practice. If citizens realize and use eco-friendly idols, such debris will not remain. We don't have to suffer like this," said a BBMP official who did not want to be named.

'How much sin to us?'

 We also worship Ganesha. Our favorite deity is Ganapa. But, inevitably we have to break idols. We don't know how much sin will come around us,' said the staff working in Halasuru lake.

 Many idols are not soluble in water. The lake needs to be cleaned and they are all removed. If you put all the waste in one place, they will take it away. However, the idols made of POP and other materials are not completely dissolved even after being in water for a couple of days. Breaking them into parts. He said that even if he does not want to do this work, it must be done.

BDA NPKL: Thousands of plants are drying up

 Tens of crores of wasteful expenditure in the development of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda BDA

BDA NPKL: Thousands of plants are drying up

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: Thousands of trees planted by Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) at a cost of tens of crores for four years are withering in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda barangay.

 Officials say that the BDA Forest Department has planted lakhs of saplings in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Barangay (NPKL) for four years in the name of Environment Day, Afforestation, Greenery. It is also said that more than one thousand was spent per sapling.  But now most of the plants are not left.

 'We will make all BDA areas green', road side and road divider saplings have been planted. The gardens are planted with saplings without any outline.  All these were complicated for the development of the garden. Before the development of the garden, the plants that were haphazardly planted there have also dried up.

 "There are saplings only according to BDA forest department, in reality there are no saplings on the roads.  Only 'plant protectors' can be seen scattered among the unwanted weeds in NPKL's paddy fields. The saplings have not been watered or maintained. Thus, everything is dry' complained the locals Rajesh, Shobha, Gangadhar and Manohar.

 BDA forest department officials were saying that more than one lakh saplings have been planted in NPKL. But, in reality, almost a quarter of the plants are not here. In some places only bamboo plant guards are seen. Plants not required locally are being grown in nurseries. Environmental activists alleged that despite the knowledge that the trees that grow in the forest do not grow in the city environment, such plants are also being grown for calculation and cost.

Survey underway: BDA

 It has been noticed that many plants are dry in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Barangay (NPKEL). These plants will be removed and new saplings will be planted," said Deputy Director of BDA Forest Department N. Chidananda told 'Prajavani'.

 About ₹30 crore has been spent to plant saplings not only in NPKEL but also in all the barangays of BDA. The contracts were awarded to Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Corporation (KRIDL) as it was a short duration tender. Some leases may have expired. Everything is being surveyed. New saplings will be planted,' he said.

 No punishment for extravagance?

 Almost all of the saplings planted by the BDA forest department in Nadaprabhu Kempegowda district for four years have dried up. Once planted, no one has looked back. We had already insisted that you should not overspend, plant only if you want to maintain. But no one listened. They spent crores and planted saplings to show the record. Environmental activist Gowdaiah demanded that disciplinary action should be taken against such people and punishment should be given.

 They all say that they cannot give a contract to KRIDL. But the officials of BDA forest department have given them contracts to make money and have devoured crores of rupees. They say that not us, but those who were in the past did it. He demanded that whoever did it should be investigated and punished.

Bagaluru: 'Navya Lok' embarked on the path of development

Bagaluru: 'Navya Lok' embarked on the path of development

 Bagaluru, which is also connected by the ``New Airport Road'' which is being constructed through the Hennur Main Road along with the Kempegowda International Airport Road on Bellary Road, is on the path of development to compete with the central areas of Bangalore. It is being developed in a huge area as a 'Civic Hub' including all kinds of accommodation including education, health, industry...

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

 Bengaluru: BAGALURU is a clear example of how a 'new world' can be created even on the edge of the city if the development path is adopted. It has also made strides in creating its own brand.

 Five or six years ago, it was a kind of fear to walk in this area during the day. Now there is 24 hour traffic. Along with the rush of people, there is also a traffic jam. If you see the developments here, you will feel proud and happy to question whether this is the place where we have been since birth,'' local residents also express their opinion.

 Bagaluru area on the border of Bangalore city district is connected to Kempegowda International Airport and hardware-software park developed by Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The 'New Airport' road being constructed to Kempegowda International Airport via Hennur also passes through Bangalore.

 There is no such activity in the Bagalur area, which is outside the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palika (BBMP). Developments are not happening only in old village, Bagaluru. These activities are also spread in the surrounding areas.

 The development work of 'New Airport Road' has started again in Bagalur village, which has changed the image of the entire area. A 150 feet wide road is now being constructed where there was a 50-60 feet road to connect to the industrial area for ten years. Development and construction activities are abundant in the adjacent areas of this road. Many prestigious educational institutes, hospitals, private universities have built their main buildings and offices in this part. 

 Apart from the reputed private construction firms in the central part of the city, the construction firms of international repute are constructing skyscraper apartments in thousands in this part. A 2BHK is priced at a minimum of ₹1 crore. A few years ago firms were waiting for people to view flats. But nowadays citizens have to wait to see the huge apartments. So many people are eager to buy. Ramachandra, a resident of Bagalur informed that there are hundreds of people in the under-construction apartments during the weekend.

 Rent Board: 

There are lots of compounded places around Bagaluru. Most of these places also have a sign saying 'This area is available for rent'. The original owner or those who bought some years back are not looking to sell now. Instead, it was learned from talking to some people that they wanted to earn some money from it and make many times the profit in the future.

 What are the reasons for promoting regional development in Bangalore?

•  * Bengaluru is also accessible by two roads connecting to the International Airport
•  * 12 km from International Airport
•  * Area adjacent to KIADB Industrial Zone
•  * Development of old village along with development of major roads
•  * All types of commercial activity on both sides of the new flyover road

'Development is faster from New Airport Road'

 In 2010, after KIADB acquired the land for industrial area, development started in Bagaluru-Bandikodigehalli. Construction activities in this area increased from the time when the new road to Bangalore route to the international airport began to be developed. Huge buildings have come up in this area since last four or five years. Huge housing complexes have also been built, with many more under construction. Bagalur, which was like a village, is developing like no other area in the center of Bangalore,' said local resident B.N. Chandrasekhar opined.

 Increase in commercial, residential rents

 Commercial shops and house rents are increasing in Bagalur area. As the factories increase in the industrial areas, the population also increases. Although many types of development are seen, some infrastructure is still lacking. "Although the Gram Panchayat is doing its best, it is not up to the expected level," Mosina said.