No EWS flats built in two projects: BDA

BENGALURU:  Following an explanation sought by the Lokayukta on whether the earmarking of houses for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) was done in two prominent housing projects as promised, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has informed it that they had not complied with. However, unlike the BBMP which has in the past withdrawn the Occupancy Certificate issued in such cases, the BDA will not do so. 

“This is because of a High Court ruling earlier this year that private builders need not mandatorily make an allocation for EWS,” a top BDA official told TNIE.  The BDA inspected both projects and furnished its explanation to the Lokayukta on March 27. 

The issue boils down to a notification issued by the state government on January 30, 2015, amending the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, mandating reservation of a minimum of 15 per cent of the gross floor ratio in projects with a gross floor area above 1,000 sqmt for building houses for the EWS and Lower Income Group (LIG) category. 

Dhananjaya Padmanabhachar, a social activist, who purchased houses in both these projects, sent repeated emails to the BDA Commissioner that the EWS specification had not been honoured by the builders. Due to the lack of response, he lodged a complaint with the Lokayukta on February 22, 2023.  

A top BDA official said the Confederation of Real Estate Development Authority of India (CREDAI) had taken up the cudgel on behalf of the builders and challenged the order. “The High Court delivered a verdict in favour of CREDAI and its order on March 6, 2023, and said the reservation of a portion of land for EWS and LIG cannot be mandated in the case of private builders. Hence, we will not be taking any action against the builders for not providing houses for these categories,” he explained.