The Hindu : Front Page : Is Sakrama a blessing or curse for Bangaloreans?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 22, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

Is Sakrama a blessing or curse for Bangaloreans?

Afshan Yasmeen

High penalty rates for regularisation are a burden, feel residents

There is confusion as to who is eligible for the scheme
People are not aware about the minute details

— Photo: K. Murali Kumar

Paying the price: Many people have not thought twice while buying property in unauthorised layouts or undertaking construction throwing norms to the wind.

BANGALORE: When Walter Joseph Lobo, a retired employee of a public sector unit, bought a 60-ft by 45-ft plot in Byrathi village off Hennur Road with his lifetime savings, little did he know that he would be landing himself in severe financial problems in future.

“Though I knew that I had bought revenue land, I was tempted to go ahead with the construction because none of the village panchayat officials stopped us. They assured us that there would be no problems in future, and I borrowed Rs. 7 lakh to construct a two-storeyed house. Now I am told that the first floor is a violation. To get my land converted and violations regularised under the Sakrama scheme, I have to either sell my house or borrow another Rs. 6 lakh. I would rather commit suicide than take more loans as my children are still studying,” Mr. Lobo said.

He is one of the scores of people in the city, who did not think twice while buying property in unauthorised layouts or throwing all norms to the winds while constructing a house. Now, when the State Government has given them an opportunity to get the violations regularised under the Sakrama scheme, they feel the high penalty rates are a big burden.

Under the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Regularisation of Unauthorised Development or Constructions) Rules, 2007, seven corporations in the State, including Bangalore, have embarked upon the regularisation process. Violations up to 50 per cent in case of residential buildings and up to 25 per cent in case of commercial ones can be regularised under Sakrama.

Blame game

While the affected house owners blame civic officials and the government authorities for allowing unauthorised layouts to spawn, the authorities hold the owners responsible for paying huge bribes at every step to go ahead with the construction.

“If they knew that my house is on revenue land, why did they sanction water and power connections? It is ridiculous that they now threaten to disconnect water and power supply if we do not opt for the scheme,” M.I. Patrick of Lingarajpuram, said.

Confusion

With several ambiguities in the new rules, there is still a lot of confusion among property owners as to who is eligible for the scheme.

B.T. Naganna, a resident of Yamalur in Mahadevapura zone, said, “The scheme does not specify anything for the houses that exceed the maximum permissible violation of 50 per cent. As per rules, of the 1,200 square feet of permitted construction on a 30 by 40 ft site, at least 550 sq. ft should be left as setback area. With almost all houses in the city having one or two floors, the violation is obviously more than the stipulated 50 per cent. I wonder how many applicants would be eligible for the scheme.”

K. Prakash, a resident of Ejipura, pointed out that most people were not aware about the minute details of the scheme. “The Government should allow people to pay in instalments and withdraw the deadline,” Mr. Prakash added.

BBMP Commissioner S. Subramanya said that the penalty rates had been fixed by the Government, and any reduction in the rates would be possible only if the Government wished.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page