Shivaram Karanth Layout: BDA to seek court’s permission to call applications for allotment of sites

BDA seeks court approval to invite applications for residential site allotments in Shivaram Karanth Layout, mired in litigation since 2017.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is set to file an affidavit before the Karnataka High Court on Friday, seeking permission to call for applications from interested people for allotment of residential sites in the Shivaram Karanth Layout, according to Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

Replying to a call attention notice in this regard by BJP member S.R. Vishwanath in the Assembly, Mr. Shivakumar pointed out that applications had not been called for allocation of sites under this layout as it was mired in litigation since 2017.

“We have spent about ₹10,000 crore on the formation of the Shivaram Karanth Layout. But due to the delay in calling for applications to allot the sites, the BDA is suffering a loss of ₹1,000 crore a year. If the court permits us to call for applications, then the BDA would start getting money from the allocation of sites,” he said.

Meanwhile, the BDA was in the process of developing a software to help allocate compensatory sites to land-losing farmers in Shivaram Karanth Layout, he said.

Farmers were supposed to get developed area measuring close to ₹9,600 sq. ft. in the form of sites for every one acre of land acquired from them if they do not opt for cash compensation. The farmers had requested that the allocation of such compensatory plots should be made next to each other instead of being scattered in different streets. While a decision on their request would be made soon, the proposed software by the BDA would help in the allocation of compensatory sites, he noted.

Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition R. Ashok demanded the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the alleged irregularities in the allotment of sites by the Vijaya Bank Employees House Building Co-operative Society.