Gated community issued notice for encroachment in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: A 5-acre gated community in Kengeri, White Meadows, has allegedly built an approach road to the layout encroaching a piece of land designated to be developed as a park. This open space was reserved for a park by Karnataka Housing Board (KHB) for its Bandemutt Layout.
The KHB has issued a notice to M/s White Meadows Associations, Bengaluru, asking why action cannot be taken for encroaching the park. The notice said ''the layout has encroached the KHB property bearing SN 170/1, KHB colony, Bandemutt, Kengeri, which is designated for park area to use as entrance".
The notice was issued in January under sub-section (1) of section 45 of the Karnataka Housing Board Act-1962. The notice sought for a response in 10 days but KHB is still awaiting it. Sowmya, assistant executive engineer, KHB, told TOI that about 10 years ago, the developer laid an approach road encroaching the park. ''After I took charge, I learnt about this and immediately issued a notice. We have not received any response and now we are in consultation with our legal team as to who we can move forward to take action for eviction. As soon as we get a legal response, we will clear the encroachment."
Although issued in January, the notice came to light in July when a team of officials from the Lokayukta visited the Bandemutt Layout.
Bandemutt Layout resident Mohan Kumar said the residents had approached the Lokayukta seeking a direction to the KHB for its failure to develop parks and open spaces. Following this, a Lokayukta team visited the layout. During the visit, the residents told the officials about the encroachment of the space reserved for the park. When the Lokayukta officials quizzed the KHB as to what action had been taken, it was revealed that a notice had been issued.
Mohan Kumar said White Meadows Layout does not have any approach road and on the one side, there is railway cross and the other land is owned by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise. Hence, the developer encroached nearly 10,000sqft of area designated for park. The park is in L shape and once developed, it will make a good place for residents to walk, he added.
A resident said there are nine designated parks in their 70-acre layout and none of them has been developed. The KHB handed over the layout to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike on August 3. The KHB has the responsibility to develop these parks as people here are living without these amenities. Dr Sumanth, a member of White Meadows Owners Welfare Association, said since there was space for approach road, it was built. The plot owners did not know that the area was designated for the park and the same was done by their developer. He added the developer may have taken permission from the KHB to construct the road.