Residents of Borewell Road are spending sleepless nights because of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP’s) plan to acquire properties for widening the road, which was widened six years ago.
The residents say there was no need for the BBMP to embark on widening Borewell Road as it was upgraded from cart road to 20-ft road in 2006.
They alleged that the BBMP had sanctioned building plans for many properties after this area had been included into the Palike’s jurisdiction. Earlier, it was under Mahadevapura City Municipal Council jurisdiction.
“Why did the BBMP sanction building plans for properties on Borewell Road if it wanted to widen the road? I think there is a builder lobby behind the road widening,’’ said Sakhina, a resident of the area.
According to her, the compound walls of homes were illegally razed and the road was widened on both sides by eight feet about six years ago. “They did it despite a high court stay order. We had to forgo compensation since no authority was ready to take up the responsibility for demolishing our compound walls,’’ she said.
On August 5, some people had come to Borewell Road and started issuing notices stating that up to eight metres of their properties would be acquired for road widening.
“The notices dated March 25, 2013, were served to residents on August 5. They threw the notice into my compound like a flyer. I lost some portion of my property when the road was widened in 2006. Half of my home will be demolished if the BBMP wants to acquire it for the road widening,’’ said Jabeen, a resident.
According to the notice issued by the BBMP roads/ infrastructure, in accordance with revised master plan (RMP) 2015, Nallurahalli Main Road (Borewell Road), which connects the state highway 35 and Vaidehi Hospital Main Road, will be widened to make it a 24-metres wide road (80 feet).
Under the KTCP Act, those whose property is being acquired have to apply for Transferable Development Rights (TDR) within 15 days of receiving the notice. If there’s no application for TDR, the BBMP will proceed with legal steps to acquire the properties, the notice stated.
“What to do with the TDR when we are set to lose half the portion of our homes. Why can’t the BBMP authorities come out with an alternative solution rather than insisting on road widening. There are many parallel roads that can be used by the motorists.
Why should we lose our property for the benefit of motorists from other areas who use this road! The existing road width is enough to cope with the traffic. The BBMP, instead of filling up potholes and ditches dug up for various purposes, plans to widen the road, thus demolishing houses,’’ said Suzanne Furtado, a resident.
However, BBMP executive engineer (roads and infrastructure) of Mahadevapura division, Devaraj, said the road widening was proposed two years ago. As the authorities concerned failed to clear the doubts, the residents are mulling to approach the court for justice, he added.
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