Bengaluru: Over one thousand Arkavathy Layout allottees get alternative sites in KG Layout

BENGALURU: In a huge relief for Arkavathy Layout allottees suffering for years due to their sites stuck due to litigation as well as denotification, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has now earmarked alternative sites in Kempe Gowda Layout to 1,011 of them. A total of 3,665 allottees have lost their sites in Arkavathy Layout.

The process of distribution of these sites commenced recently at the BDA head office.Speaking to The New Indian Express, BDA Secretary Basavaraju said, “The allotment of sites in the names of the new owners has begun at our office ten days ago. Sites of all dimensions have been offered equivalent sites in exchange.”

The state government had taken a decision last year to allot alternative sites in the pricey K G Layout area without collecting any additional amount from those who owned sites in Arkavathy Layout. There was tremendous reluctance initially from hundreds of allottees, a large number of whom staged fortnightly protests at the BDA office demanding they be given only original sites earmarked for them.

“All those who are being handed over sites now have come forward voluntarily to take these alternative sites. Some of them were really fed up as the landowners from whom the property was acquired filed cases against the acquisition and the cases are going on for over six years now,” the Secretary said. “On June 11, the High Court is set to hear cases pertaining to 50 such allottees,” he added.The Secretary said it was up to the remaining 2,654 allottees too to come forward and accept the alternative sites provided.

Payment catching up

The online payment of BDA property tax launched on May 3 is catching up among the public, another top official said. Specifying details, he said that as on May 31, total of 3,208 property owners out of 79,332 BDA property owners have paid their taxes online.“We have collected Rs 1,24,71,707 tax as on May 31. BDA expects a total collection of Rs 41 crore,” he informed. Both online (www.bdabangalore.org) and offline mode of payments are being accepted this year, he added.

Wait for KG Layout second phase site allottees gets longer

The wait to know if they have been allotted a site in Nadaprabhu Kempe Gowda Layout as part of its Phase-II allotment will now happen only by June 15, thanks to the model code of conduct now in place for the State Legislative Council. This is the third deadline being specified by the BDA. Altogether 15,178 applicants are competing for the 5,000 BDA sites on offer. Applications were called for in December 2017 and February 23, 2018 was the revised deadline for applications. The list was supposed to be released by mid-March, then postponed to May 12 due to State elections and  postponed again now due to MLC elections. “Our final list was ready by mid-March itself. We will release it on June 15 after the MLC elections,” BDA Secretary Basavaraju said.