Bengaluru
A Rainbow Drive Layout (RBD) builder commenced work of building a parallel storm-water drain (SWD) on Thursday, despite the High Court (HC) ordering the civic body to take action to construct a SWD on the original path.
On the other hand, a local resident, Shekar Reddy, has claimed that the drain, which the RBD builder is constructing, passes through his property. Mr. Reddy has now filed a complaint with the police seeking protection for his land.
According to the builder, the land was purchased to build a parallel drain. However, Mr. Reddy told The Hindu that neither the land was purchased nor was he asked for the same.
On Friday, drama prevailed outside the layout as Mr. Reddy objected to the work carried out.
According to sources, the builder rushed to change alignment of the rajakaluve after the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE) visited the layout, with notices to owners of 13 villas to vacate homes to allow demolition.
The AEE said the HC on July 27 ordered a drain on the original path. The residents sent him back as he was not able to furnish the order copy.
The HC had ordered the BBMP to take action and build the drain on the original path as was found in the survey conducted by the Assistant Director of Land Records.
The builder is now constructing a drain outside the compound where 13 houses are allegedly sitting on the rajakaluve.
According to a survey report submitted in July in the HC, the drain passes through the middle of these houses and the entire structures have to be razed to pave way for the drain on its original path.
Mahadevapura Zonal Commissioner, BBMP, K.V. Trilok Chandra, talking to The Hindu, said an internal communication has been circulated among the officials to start working on demolishing the houses.
The BBMP is firm on executing the court order, he said. When informed about the commencement of work on the parallel drain, he said he will look into the same.
After the Rainbow Drive layout was flooded multiple times in the last monsoon, the BBMP identified encroachments.
But when the BBMP started to execute anti-encroachment activities, residents approached the court seeking a stay.
In one case, the HC directed the government to conduct a survey issuing notices to the residents. In another case, the HC ordered an ADLR survey and asked to submit a report. The report showed encroachment by houses.
In an email conversation between the Rainbow Drive Layout Plot Owners’ Association (RBDPOA) and plot owners, RBDPOA said, “The builder Austin Roach had informed the president of the managing committee on March, 27, 2023, that he will be starting parallel drain immediately between 7*7 to the end of Wipro lane. But it did not start. The work commenced only on August 3”.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Roach said that the court only talked about the survey and added that he will be building a parallel drain to “save poor people.”
