Indiranagar BDA complex revamp: Residents protest tree felling

BENGALURU: Indiranagar has been plagued by the twin scourge of rampant commercialisation of residential areas and rapid erosion of tree cover. United Bengaluru along with IChange Indiranagar and residents of the locality staged a protest on Saturday against the felling of 171 trees to make way for the proposed redevelopment of Indiranagar BDA Complex. The BDA plans to redevelop the complex at an estimated cost of Rs 657 crore, under a PPP model, and the new structure is expected to come up in two years.

The proposed complex could violate the National Green Tribunal's (NGT) guidelines on buffer zone, as Binnamangala Lake is in close proximity. Reminding the residents about their constitutional right to live, Rajya Sabha member Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, "No BBMP or BDA can take away the right to live from us. With regards to buffer zone, the NGT has laid down guidelines and if private builders violate the guidelines, they will do so at the risk contravening the law."

Currently the sprawling complex houses trees such as peepal, banyan, Indian beech, silver oak etc and some of them are 70 years old. The Rajya Sabha MP further suggested that the BMRCL could convert the vacant space into parking rather than renting it out for commercial outlets. Sneha Nandihal, a resident of Indiranagar, pointed out that even a bakery in a commercial area would lead to increase in the number of vehicles and attract a minimum of fifteen people. "Commercial establishments should be on the arterial roads," she remarked. Lok Sabha MP P.C. Mohan said that on Monday he would meet the BDA commissioner and BBMP officials over the issue of illegal commercial establishments in the vicinity.

"Pubs have become a nuisance and despite the complaints being registered with the police stations by the residents no action has been taken. If my meetings with the BDA and BBMP officials not yield constructive result, we will stage a protest before the Police commissioner's office," he added. The residents complained of loud music from Hangover and Siam pubs in the area. Some even added that most of pubs play music till 1 am.

Build more floors, retain empty spaces: Architect
R.K. Gautham, Director, Sustainability India, Cushman and Wakefield, is of the opinion that if BDA goes ahead with the demolition of the current complex at Indiranagar, it should go vertical in terms of height with additional facility for parking. "In Mumbai, high rise buildings can go up to 21 floors, but at Indiranagar I think it can go till 12 floors with a few retail outlets and government spaces in the few floors. These old buildings have given up life. Given the congestion in the city the construction should be vertical," he said.