A lack of basic amenities at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout has put thousands of people who invested hard-earned money to buy sites at the layout in a quandary. The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) developed the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout and allotted 5,000 sites in two phases to the allottees in 2016 and 2018.
As per the sale deed between the BDA and allottees, the latter have to construct houses within five years of allotment. The BDA can impose a penalty on those who fail to construct houses within five years of site allotment. As per the agreement, around 5,000 allottees have to pay the penalty for keeping the sites vacant for more than five years.
On August 28, 2020, the BDA decided to penalise the allottees in question for failing to construct houses within five years. The civic body decided to implement the decision with effect from October 6, 2020. The penalty on vacant sites varies based on the size of the site. The fines are: Rs 5,000 for a 20×30 sq ft site, Rs 15,000 for a 30×40 sq ft site, Rs 60,000 for a site measuring more than 1,200 sq ft and Rs 1,20,000 for a site measuring more than 2,400 sq ft.
Though the BDA is yet to collect penalties, thousands of allottees are worried. They want the BDA either to extend the deadline of five years or ensure basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, underground drainage and roads in place at the layout.
“I purchased the site for Rs 56 lakh at a public auction in March 2022. Though I have more than four years to construct a house, I want the BDA to provide basic infrastructure without further delay,’’ said Satish.
Dr Sheela said that she too purchased a site at a public auction but got disappointed after visiting the layout. “There are no basic amenities. I want the BDA to provide basic infrastructure,’’ the doctor said.
Meanwhile, Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Open Forum gave a representation to the BDA seeking the extension of the five-year deadline for constructing buildings. “We demanded the BDA to fix the five-year deadline from the date of placing the entire infrastructure in place at the layout. There are no proper roads to transport construction materials to the construction sites. It is quite disappointing to see BDA engineers not expediting the developmental works at the layout,’’ said Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Open Forum secretary M Ashok.
Surya Kiran, spokesperson of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Open Forum, said the BDA missed two deadlines of the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA); Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai gave written reply in the Assembly stating that the major arterial road and layout infrastructure work would be completed by December 2022 to the query raised by MLA Suresh Kumar.
“The State Legislature Committee on Petitions, based on our complaint, visited the layout. BDA authorities assured the committee to clear the approvals for pending works but the work did not resume in full swing due to the delay in clearing pending bills to the contractors. As per the Chief Minister’s assurance, only five months are left to complete infrastructure work but unfortunately the BDA, which works under the Chief Minister, is not doing anything to complete the pending works,’’ said Kiran.
However, BDA commissioner Rajesh Gowda MB said efforts were being made to complete the pending works. “We have received a representation from the site allottees seeking an extension to the deadline for constructing buildings at the layout. We will consider it,’’ the commissioner said.