Bengaluru: The infamous ‘leaning tower’ at Ejipura 12th main is not the only such structure in the city. There are several such buildings in contravention of sanctioned building by-law. Over 80 per cent of the buildings across the city are built in violation of the sanctioned building plan.
If the BBMP authorities fail to act upon such unauthorised constructions, Bengaluru will be home for many more such dangerously tilting and leaning buildings in the city, posing grave danger to the neighbourhood. Chand Pasha, a resident of Ejipura, said that nearly 90 per cent of the buildings in Ejipura have been and are being built in gross violation with the sanctioned building plan. The plan will be obtained for just one or ground and first floor, but the owner of the property will build about five to six floors. The officials concerned turn a blind eye towards such grave violations for obvious reasons, he said.
When the local people question about the violation, they defend themselves with the Sakrama scheme, which is in the court. Although the cut-off date for the Sakrama scheme is gone by long time, people continue to build such buildings. In addition posing a danger to the public, these structures also cause loss to BBMP exchequer, he lamented. Pasha said that due to the danger posed by this building, he has been forced to vacate his house and provided with any alternate arrangement to stay. Their belongings are left behind in their houses and they waiting for the BBMP and the building owner to clear the tilted building at the earliest, so that they can go back to their houses.
The rampant building violations across the city are very conspicuous. Some do not even prepare building plan and build houses, the residents alleged.
A BBMP engineer, on condition of anonymity, said that some people take building plan and violate it by adding an extra floor. In some cased we make them stop building construction and force them to obtain revised plan. While, some use their political clout to keep the engineers at bay, he added. Although the buildings that are built after 2016 are not eligible for Sakrama scheme, many residents continue to defend themselves under it. Even under the Sakrama scheme a maximum of 50 per cent violation can be regularized. Shockingly, most of the buildings have violated over 200 per cent and hence not eligible under the scheme, the engineer added.
