Bengaluru: Green tribunal order makes realty see red

BENGALURU: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) order increasing the buffer zone around the lakes and storm water drains has put scores of property developers and buyers in distress, as they are not getting any approval from civic officials, even for projects that were taken up prior to the NGT order.

A property developer who had taken up about five acres of land for development is now in a fix over the NGT order. Although he had obtained the necessary approvals and work has begun on the land, which is overseeing the lake near Kengeri.

He has also invested money to provide facilities such as roads, drains, parks, sewerage treatment plants and other open spaces along with the sites. The NGT order increasing the buffer zone has put a question mark on my project as the civic agencies have not much clarity about the order, he said.

“We are in such a position that we cannot continue with the work as the BDA itself is not aware if the NGT order will be applicable with retrospective or prospective effect. If the order is prospective then we and the public, who have invested money, are safe, otherwise it would be difficult for us,” he added.  

If the order has to be implemented, the layout cannot be formed as per the BDA bye-law and guidelines for layout development. Already, those had booked for sites at the proposed layout are anxious and constantly seeking to know the status of the project. However, it is unfortunate that we are not in a position to answer customers queries as the BDA itself does not know what how the order would be, he added.

The NGT in its recent order has enhanced the buffer zone to 75 metres from the border of the lake, 50 metres from primary drains, 35 metres from secondary drains and 25 metres from tertiary drains. The planning bodies like BBMP, BDA and BMRDA has been directed to adhere to the NGT order.

The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI) has challenged the order at Supreme Court, while the state government has sought clarity on the order.

BDA sources said they are not sure if the buffer zone will be applicable with retrospective effort. As a result, many layout projects, which were already approved, have not been given necessary sanctions, they added.