With only a few days left for filing objections to the draft notification for Common Zoning Regulations, citizens have upped the ante.
A group of 337 RWA (resident welfare associations) representatives handed over objection letters with more than 1,000 signatures to the Director, Town and Country Planning Department, on Friday, urging it not to act on the draft notification.
The citizens raised the concern that the notifications would commercialise the quiet neighbourhoods in the city, and that the notifications had been framed without consulting the public.
Key objection
Their primary objection was that as per the proposed CRZ, commercial use of land is allowed on all roads that are 29.5 ft (9 metres) or wider.
Since most residential layouts across Bengaluru have roads of this dimension or more, very few roads will remain purely residential.
Another is that the notification nullifies the current Master Plan 2035, which was put in place after deliberations with citizens.
Member of Citizens’ Action Forum Vijayan Menon said he was happy to see widespread support from citizens on #HosaZoningBeda.
“I hope the administration takes note and we do not have to start outright protests,” said Mr. Menon.
Sridhar Pabbisetty, CEO of Namma Bengaluru Foundation, said that while citizens were fighting to preserve what was left of their neighbourhoods, the government had tried to placate the real estate lobby and trade lobby, instead of enforcing norms.
Citizens have been asked to continue the pressure and file their objections at the Town and Country Planning Department on Saturday morning.