Six Satellite Towns around the capital

Objective to reduce congestion in Bengaluru: Cabinet Decision

Six Satellite Towns around the capital

• 8,943 acres 35 guntes; Total area of ​​Bidadi integrated Satellite Town
• 6,023 acres 24 guntes; Cultivated area of ​​villages
• 101 acres 12 guntes; Area of ​​A Kharabu
• 2,818 acres 35 guntes; Area of ​​B Kharabu

Extent of Bidadi Satellite Town

Bidadi Hobli: Bairamangala, Bannigare, Hosur, K.G. Gollarapalya, Kanchugaranahalli, Aralalusandra, Kempayyanapalya, Kanchugaranahalli Kavalu, Mandalahalli.

Harohalli Hobli: Vaderahalli.

Where is the suburb?

Devanahalli, Nelamangala, Hoskote, Doddaballapura, Magadi, Bidadi

Objective: To develop attractive cities with sustainable infrastructure and create employment opportunities.

‘Work-Live-Play’ concept as per international standards

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The Cabinet has approved the development of six Satellite Towns around the city to reduce congestion in the capital Bengaluru.

Approval has been given under Section 15(1)(b) of the Karnataka Urban Development Authority Act 197 to implement the ‘Greater Bangalore Integrated Suburban Development Project’ under the ‘Greater Bangalore Development Authority’.

The government has given in-principle approval to start the preliminary processes for the implementation of the ‘Bidadi Integrated Satellite Town Development Project’ in Ramanagara district in the first phase of the ‘Greater Bangalore Integrated Suburban Development Project’.

It has been agreed to start the land acquisition process for the ‘Bidadi Integrated Satellite Town Development Project’ in 9 villages of Bidadi Hobli and one village of Harohalli Hobli. It has also been agreed to provide 35% to 50% developed land as compensation in lieu of the acquired land as per the Urban Development Authority and Karnataka Urban Development Authority Rules-2009.

Out of the 8,943 acres, 910 acres have been acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB). The land acquisition process should be started for the Bidadi Integrated Satellite Town in the remaining 8,032 acres. It has been suggested that the settlement, school-college, lake, cemetery and public purpose areas should be maintained as they are. 

A committee comprising competent authorities, departments and institutions should be constituted under the chairmanship of Additional Chief Secretary for the implementation of the Integrated Satellite Towns Plan. The suburbs should be designed in accordance with international standards, in the Work-Live-Play concept, with road and rail connectivity. The Cabinet has approved that eligible institutions may be appointed for planning this.

Flyover work has increased the problems of the people

 Increase in traffic on Mysore Road, daily hardship for citizens, engineers who do not solve the problem

Flyover work has increased the problems of the people

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The flyover work that has been started to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate traffic on Mysore Road has not been completed even after years, and has only increased traffic congestion.

It has been four and a half years since the grade separator work began on the Outer Ring Road near the Mysore Road-Nice Junction. The grade separator work, which will allow signal-free traffic on the Outer Ring Road and free traffic towards Hosakerehalli Kodi Road and Girinagar, began in August 2020 and was supposed to be completed in 15 months. The work is still a year away.

The ‘Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction Grade Separator’ work, which has been started under the Chief Minister’s New Urban Development Grant, is being carried out by PJP Engineers. The grade separator work at the Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction, which is adjacent to the Nice Link Road, has resulted in no road connectivity to the surrounding areas. Residents of Hosakerehalli, Bangarappanagar, Mookambikenagar, Pramod Layout, Girinagar, Ganapathinagar, and Avalahalli areas have to travel half a kilometer on a one-way road around the barrier built around the grade separator work area, take a U-turn, and then travel another half kilometer.

‘The width of the remaining road has reduced due to the grade separator work, resulting in a situation where people have to wait for more than half an hour in the morning and evening. School vehicles, parents dropping their children to school, and office goers have to wait here due to the chaos, and there is a delay in reaching the specified destination,” complained locals Gopalrao, Jagadish, and Manjula.

Rusty Pillar: The ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work for signal-free traffic on Mysore Road and Rajarajeshwari Nagar began in July 2022. However, the work was stopped after the construction of four or five pillars. The work has not continued after the assembly elections. 

The pillars built years ago have rusted due to the stoppage of the ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work. The barrier wall has been removed indiscriminately, leaving the remaining road in a pothole and dusty. Since the green signal is given to vehicles plying on Mysore Road for a long time, those coming from Rajarajeshwari Nagar and those going towards Rajarajeshwari Nagar from Gnanabharathi have to stand in the air pollution and dust for a long time.

‘The ‘Signal Free Rotary’ work was supposed to be done for the convenience of the citizens. However, the work has been stalled for two years, which has only increased the inconvenience to the people. If you ask the engineers about this, they point their fingers at the people’s representatives. They do not have the patience to listen to the problems of the common people,’ complained Ramachandra of Halagevaderahalli.

‘Hosakerehalli Kerekodi Road Junction Grade Separator’

• ₹30 crore; Grade Separator Cost
• August 7, 2020; Work Order to Contractor
• 15 months; Deadline given for completion of work

Rajarajeshwari Nagar ‘Signal Free Rotary’

• ₹80 crore; Total cost of the project
• 1 July 2022; Date of issue of work order
• 24 months; Deadline given for completion of work
• Contractors; KBR Infratech, Sahakarinagar

DCM lashes out at Prahlad!

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar expressed his displeasure at a meeting of officials held on Tuesday over the delay in many works including the flyover in the BBMP area. Taking a dig at Principal Engineer B.S. Prahlad, who is responsible for the management of major works including the flyover, grade separator, white topping works, the DCM said, ‘Prahlad has increased work pressure. He also has many projects. Sources said that Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath was instructed to hand over the projects to someone else.

B.S. Prahlad did not respond when contacted for comment on the delay in the Hosakerehalli and Rajarajeshwari Nagar flyover works. Prahlad, who also holds the post of Chief Engineer of the Infrastructure Department, is responsible for seven flyover works that have been going on in the city for the past four to five years.

₹13 thousand crore for 16 Flyovers

 Proposal for construction of 16 elevated corridors; DPR of 10 works ready

  ₹13 thousand crore for 16 Flyovers

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: BBMP is ready to implement ₹16 elevated corridors (flyovers) at a cost of about ₹13 thousand crore proposed under the ‘Bengaluru Integrated Traffic Management Plan’.

On the instructions of Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, the ‘Bengaluru Integrated Traffic Management Plan’ was formulated to control and smoothen traffic congestion in the city. Under it, the BBMP had prepared a feasibility report for the construction of 16 flyovers/underpasses, including tunnel roads and double-decker corridors. These projects will be announced in the next budget of the BBMP, for which all preparations have been made.

Delhi-based Altinoc had submitted the feasibility report to the BBMP in December. BBMP has invited tenders for preparing detailed project reports (DPRs) for 10 of the 16 elevated corridors. Bids can be submitted till February 6. In the remaining six overbridges, DPRs of some projects have been prepared earlier. Some changes will be made in them. Tenders will be invited soon for the preparation of DPRs for the remaining projects, said engineers from the BBMP infrastructure department.

Loan for tunnel road: The North-South and East-West tunnel road corridors require ₹40,000 crore, which is intended to be implemented under public-private partnership (PPP). The BBMP will get the required funds in the form of loans. Three institutions have come forward to provide a loan of ₹8,000 crore on the assets of the corporation. The engineers informed that tenders will be invited for the tunnel road after the government's approval.

16; Number of proposed elevated corridors/ flyovers

₹13,140 crore; Total construction cost of corridors

109.5 km; Total length of 16 elevated corridors

Wasteful!

‘Among the proposed elevated corridor projects, there is also the ‘Integrated Elevation’ project from Hudson Circle to Minerva Circle, which has been stalled for decades. However, white-topping work has also started on the same route. If a flyover is to be built, white-topping can be done after it is completed. If it is done now, it will be demolished and a flyover will be built, which will be a waste of money,’ complained Basavanagudi’s Satyanarayana.

Overbridges for which tenders have been invited for preparation of DPR

Project;Length (km);Cost (₹ in crores)

Split overbridge at MEI Junction;0.5;60

Overbridge: Yeshwanthpur – Mattikere Cross to IISC – Mekhri Circle – Jayamahal – St. John Church Road, Halsur Lake – Old Madras Road – KR. Pura;27;3,240

Flyover/Underpass: Kanakapura Road via Konanakunte Cross to Banashankari;0.9;108

Flyover: Adyar Ananda Bhavan, Raghuvanahalli, Kanakapura Road;0.8;96

Elevated Corridor: Marenahalli Main Road (Ragigudda to 7th Main Road Junction) to Kanakapura Main Road (Talaghatpur Nice Road via Pipeline Road); 10.5; 1,260

Elevated Corridor: Old Madras Road to Swami Vivekananda Metro Station on Hosur Road via Indiranagar, Dommalur – Silkboard Junction;10;1,200

Elevated Corridor: Nagawara Junction to Ramakrishna Hegde Nagar, Sampigehalli, Thirumenahalli, Bellahalli, Bagalur Main Road;15;1,800

Additional Link Road to Airport: Elevated Corridor from Outer Ring Road to Hennur Main Road Junction to Balaguru Junction;15,1,800

Elevated Corridor: Tannery Road to Madhava Mudaliar Road to Nagawara Junction;3.5;660

Elevated Corridor: Outer Ring Road from West of Cord Road to Pipeline Road (Nandini Layout);4.5;540

Proposed Flyovers

Integrated Elevation: Hudson Circle to Minerva Circle (Minerva Circle, Bharat Talkies, Shivaji Talkies, Town Hall, LIC, Halsur Police Station, Hudson Circle, Cubbon Park);2.7;324

Flyover Extension: Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Nrupatunga Road via Circle;1.7;204

Underpass Extension: From Madiwala Underpass to Traffic Police Station Junction;0.5;60

Elevated Corridor: Hosur Road to Shule Circle (Vellara Junction – Anepalya, Forum, St. John Church, Madiwala, Silk Board Junction);7.4;888

Elevated Corridor: From Sirsi Circle to Nayandahalli via Mysore Road;3.5;420

Elevated Corridor: Yelahanka Newtown to Kempegowda International Airport;4;480

CM order ignored: 60 retired engineers appointed to KPTCL

 Chief Minister, Chief Secretary orders overruled; posting to sanctioned posts

CM order ignored: 60 retired engineers appointed to KPTCL

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL) has appointed 60 retired engineers, violating the orders of the Chief Minister and Chief Secretary.

CVL engineers who have retired from government service have been appointed as ‘Engineers on Duty (EOD)’ on ‘temporary basis’ in KPTCL corporate office and transmission sectors. The Director of Administration and Human Resources, KPTCL, issued an order in this regard on January 9.

The ‘EOD’ post has been created in three categories, and those born between 1957 and 1964 have been appointed, and they have been given the duties of Junior Engineer or Assistant Engineer. In addition, the responsibility of supervising and inspecting the civil engineering works of sub-stations has been entrusted.

‘The recruitment of retired employees is putting an additional burden on the exchequer. Also, the lack of quality of performance and accountability among retirees is also evident. Hence, retirees should be released from service in the departments,’ Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had instructed the Chief Secretary on January 9, 2024. Accordingly, the Chief Secretary had issued instructions to the Chief, Principal, and Secretaries of all departments on January 23, 2024, ordering, ‘Retirees should be released from service. They should be assigned to vacant posts.’

Even after these orders, KPTCL has not given importance to the recruitment process for vacant posts and has given the work of sanctioned posts to retired engineers.

‘As per the KPTCL recruitment rules, retirees cannot be recruited in any way. Also, they cannot be appointed to sanctioned posts on a contract/temporary basis. 60 retired engineers have been given the tasks of engineers in sanctioned posts, claiming them as ‘temporary basis’ in name only. Even though the retirees are already getting pensions of lakhs of rupees, they have been put on the spot. Even though the youth have applied and are waiting for appointment, the authorities are not paying attention. Also, their efficiency will not increase after retirement,’ complained Manmohan, a retired officer of KPTCL.

When tried to contact KPTCL Managing Director Pankaj Kumar Pandey for a comment, he did not respond. KPTCL’s Director of Administration and Human Resources, B.P. Vijay, who approved the appointment of the retired engineer and also pays the salary, simply replied, ‘Ask the Technical Director’.

• 60; Total selection of retired civil engineers
• 48; EOD-1 grade – salary of ₹1 lakh per month
• 11; EOD-2 Grade – Salary ₹90 thousand per month
• 1; EOD-3 Grade – Salary ₹80 thousand per month

Where were retired engineers appointed?

• 2; SE (Civil), KPTCL Corporate Office
• 2; DGM (Civil), KPTCL Corporate Office
• 9; Transmission Zone, Bengaluru
• 10; Transmission Zone, Tumkur
• 8; Transmission Zone, Mysore
• 12; Transmission Zone, Hassan
• 9; Transmission Zone, Bagalkot
• 8; Transmission Zone, Kalaburagi

Property tax arrears: immovable property auction begins

 Property tax arrears: immovable property auction begins

Bengaluru: BBMP has started the process of urgent auction of properties that have been in arrears of property tax for a long time.

The defaulters did not pay the tax despite notices asking for reasons for delay in payment of property tax arrears, demand notices, property seizure, and sealing of non-residential properties. Therefore, the auction process has been started under Section 156 Sub-section 5 of the BBMP Act 2020, said BBMP Revenue Department Special Commissioner Munish Moudgil.

The property tax arrears due to the corporation will be fully recovered from the money received in the auction. The excess money will be deposited in the bank account of the property owners. One to two auctioneers have been identified from each zone of the corporation. He informed that a date has been fixed for the auction process of eight to ten properties and notices have been issued to the owners.

‘This is a start, this process is carried out every week. The arrears of commercial/industrial and residential properties with high property tax arrears will be recovered through the auction process. Two lakh properties in the BBMP area have not paid tax. The defaulters should not be allowed to take coercive action like auction, Munish has appealed.

Also read… property-vehicle-to-be-auctioned

Auction Notice

M. Rangappa, who owns a 44,933 sq ft building in 9090 sq ft in Chokkasandra, has arrears of property tax of ₹1.85 crore. M. Kumar, who owns a 12,080 sq ft building in 399 sq ft in HSR Layout, has to pay ₹31.94 lakh property tax. Shankare Gowda, who owns a 29,100 sq ft building in 6785 sq ft in Bagalgunte, has arrears of ₹30.99 lakh tax. Mohammad Ishaq, Mohammad Ayub, and Mohammad Shoaib, who own a 6,400 sq ft building on a 2,008 sq ft plot in Shantala Nagar, have a property tax of ₹11.22 lakh. The BBMP has issued notices to auction all four properties.

Encroachment not identified in 77 lakes

 District administration neglects survey, boundary marking work; High Court order ignored

Encroachment not identified in 77 lakes

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್ 

Bengaluru: Although the High Court issued three orders in 2023 to identify and clear encroachment of lakes under BBMP jurisdiction, the district administration has not completed the survey work. Although encroachment has been identified in some lakes, no ‘marking’ has been done at the site.

The Revenue Department should identify the encroachment of lakes and provide the BBMP with documents and recommendations that it can be cleared. The Executive Engineer of the Lakes Division of BBMP, approved by the government, should issue an encroachment clearance order and also carry out the clearance operation. But this work has not been expedited.

The High Court has directed the clearance of encroachment of lakes on July 21, August 1, and September 4, 2023. BBMP had also submitted an action plan for the clearance operation. If it had been implemented accordingly, it would have taken a year for all the encroachments on the lakes to be cleared. However, so far only 28 lakes have been cleared of encroachments. Since 29 lakes are encroached by government departments, BBMP officials have considered them to be ‘encroachment-free’.

Since 2023, the BBMP Chief Commissioner has been holding meetings and instructing the District Collector, Tahsildar, Land Survey, Revenue System and Land Records Department Commissioners to conduct a survey of the area of ​​the lakes and identify the encroachments and boundaries. However, the survey work is not being done.

BBMP Special Commissioner for Forest, Environment and Climate Change Management Preeti Gehlot, who has written a letter (VA/APAHAY/PR/2825) to the City District Collector on December 23, 2024, requesting the ‘encroachment survey work and demarcation of boundaries of lakes under BBMP jurisdiction’, has violated the previous meeting and the High Court instructions. She has also written a letter (VA/APAHAY/PR/2552) to the Commissioner of Land Survey Department, requesting to conduct a survey of the lakes.

A large number of lakes are encroached in Dakshina taluk, and to conduct their survey, she has written a separate letter (VA/APAHAY/PR/2826) to the Assistant Director of Land Records (Dakshina) of the City District, asking him to expedite the slow survey work. A report has to be submitted to the court, and in three letters, she has requested to complete the survey work and demarcation of encroachments as soon as possible. However, the survey work has not picked up speed.

‘Clearance is not possible without marking’

‘Even if the lakes are surveyed and the encroachment is identified on the map, it is not possible to clear them. Clearance operations can only be carried out after marking the place. Despite several requests for marking, no action has been taken,’ said BBMP engineers.

‘The survey work of almost all the lakes has been completed. BBMP should take all necessary steps,’ said Manjunath, Commissioner of the Department of Land Survey, Revenue System and Land Records. City Deputy Commissioner Jagadish did not respond to a call to comment on this.

202 Lakes under BBMP jurisdiction

19 Lakes that have been destroyed

183 Living lakes

105 Lakes surveyed with additional identification

62 Lakes pending encroachment identification

16 Lakes pending survey

29; Encroachment by government departments in lakes

92; Government and private encroachment in lakes

17; Private encroachment in lakes

28; Lakes free from encroachment

Lakes to be surveyed and identified as encroached

37; South Taluk

27; East Taluk

7; North Taluk

4; Yelahanka Taluk

1; Anekal Taluk

1; CTS Survey Department (Sanki Lake)

Lakes Survey done with Marking

South Taluk: Chowdeshwari Lake, Subedaranakere,Basapura Lake-2,Konappana Agrahara lake, Gubbalalu Lake, Kembathahalli lake, Yelenahalli Lake, Kammanahalli Lake (Meenakshi Lake), Gottigere, Basavanapura Lake, Subbarayana lake, Konankunte Lake, Arekere lake, Singasandra lake, Kodige Singasandra Lake,

Sarakki Lake, Haralukunte (somasundarapalaya lake) Busegowdana lake, Hosakerehalli lake, Jogi kere, Sompura Lake, Bheemana Katte,

Dubasipalya lake (Valagerahalli), Chikkabasthi lake, Lingadeeranahalli (handrahalli) Lake, Thalaghattapura Lake, Konasandra Lake,

Mylasandra (Sunnakallu palya) lake, Bayyapanapalya Kunte, Kenchanapura, Byrasandra lake / Chikkapete lake, Deepanjali lake,Gowdana Palya Lake, Mesthripalya lake & Nayandahalli lake.

Exemption from setback for residential buildings

Rules relaxing for two-storey houses: BBMP proposes to government

Exemption from setback for residential buildings

Kere Manjunath ಕೆರೆ ಮಂಜುನಾಥ್

Bengaluru: The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has considered exempting residential buildings built on small plots within the city limits from the setback rules.

In plots measuring 20 feet x 30 feet to 30 feet x 40 feet, the area of ​​space to be left (setback) around the house will be reduced if a ground and two-storey residential building is built. 

When constructing a residential building on a plot with a width of 20 feet from the road side, a space of three feet (setback) should be left only in the front. In plots up to 30 feet, there is no need to leave space at the back of the building. When constructing a building on a plot of 30 feet to 40 feet, space will have to be left around it according to its size. The BBMP has submitted a proposal to the government to amend the zoning rules in this regard.

According to the current setback rules, a space of one meter (3.28 feet) should be left around the building in 20 feet x 30 feet plots. There should be a setback of 1.50 meters (5 feet) around in 30 feet x 40 feet plots. 

‘No matter how much we try, setback violations continue to occur in small plots. Most of the houses are built on such plots by poor people. When notices are issued to take action for the violation, they make various requests and there is pressure. There is no setback around thousands of houses already built in the city. Therefore, a proposal has been submitted to exempt residential buildings on small plots. Officials have been given the responsibility to ensure that no building is built in the city without a map and setback,’ said BBMP city planning department officials.

How much setback is proposed for which plot?

Width of plots;Setback

;Right;Left;Front;Back

Up to 7 meters;0 m;0 m;0.9 m;0 m

7 meters to 10 meters;0.9 m;0.9 m;0 m

More than 10 meters; 8%;8%;12%;8%

30 square meter plots are not allowed!

In the proposal submitted to the government, the BBMP has requested that permission be given to construct buildings on plots less than 30 square meters (323 square feet) in the city and that provision be made in the building bye-laws. It has also been requested to allow the concerned officials of the corporation to take action to prevent the construction of any kind of building on such plots.