The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Saturday created a record of sorts by seizing and sealing a 11,000 sq ft property it had leased to a news agency in Vasanthnagar 37 years ago. It’s the first time in recent years that the civic agency has reclaimed its property from squatters.
BBMP officials led by joint commissioner (east) N Muniraju and assistant revenue officer Lingaiah landed at the five-storeyed building in Miller Tank Bed area, requested those inside to move out, locked the building and pasted this notice: ‘This property belongs to BBMP’. BBMP commissioner BH Anil Kumar ordered deployment of a security guard at the property.
The land (Property No. 30/1), measuring 11,506 sq ft, had been given on lease to the United News of India (UNI) on March 1, 1983 for a monthly rental of Rs 1,000 for up to 30 years.
The BBMP’s contention was that the leasee had violated the lease conditions by renting out the property to private organisations including Janaagraha, Indian Semiconductor Association (which had moved out) and government-run Karnataka Biotechnology and Information Technology Services. The BBMP had been trying to reclaim the property after the agreement with UNI ended on May 25, 2013.
Though UNI sought lease renewal, BBMP imposed a penalty of Rs 1.8 crore and issued it a notice on August 9, 2018 stating that 45 days would be given to move out.