A comprehensive survey by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has revealed the staggering scale of unauthorized construction in Bengaluru, particularly in the Mahadevapura zone, which houses the city's tech hub of Whitefield. The survey identified over 2,500 illegal structures across the city, with Mahadevapura leading the way with 528 such buildings. Despite directives from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to take strict action, the survey process has been hampered by local political pressures and past compromises, raising concerns about the commitment of civic officials to address this pressing issue.
The Mahadevapura zone, which encompasses the tech hub of Whitefield and several other prominent localities, has the highest number of unauthorized buildings in Bengaluru, according to a survey conducted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The survey identified 528 illegal constructions in Mahadevapura, followed by 446 in the East Zone and 348 in the Dasarahalli Zone.
The West and City Zones both reported 328 unauthorized buildings each, while Bommanahalli Zone had 275 and Yelahanka Zone had 167 such structures. The South Zone, despite having a large number of wards, recorded the lowest figure, with only 142 illegal buildings identified.
In total, the BBMP survey has revealed 2,562 unauthorized constructions across the city, highlighting the widespread nature of this issue and the varying levels of enforcement in different zones.
BBMP officials at the zonal and ward levels have faced challenges in conducting a comprehensive survey of unauthorized buildings, despite a directive to identify all such structures within a week following the collapse of an illegal structure in Babusapalya, which claimed the lives of nine workers.
The survey officially began on October 28, and after two weeks, only 2,562 unauthorized constructions have been identified across the city's eight zones. Reports suggest that local political pressures and past compromises by officials to permit illegal constructions have hindered the survey process.
While the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister had instructed that stringent action would be taken against officials if illegal constructions continued, and the BBMP Chief Commissioner had issued orders accordingly, the survey remains incomplete, and there has been little adherence to the directives at the local level. Activists have raised concerns about the civic officials' commitment to addressing the issue of unauthorized buildings in Bengaluru, which not only threatens the city's urban planning but also poses significant risks to public safety. The way forward requires a comprehensive and transparent approach to address this complex problem and restore the integrity of Bengaluru's built environment.
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