Arkavathy Layout site allottees file complaint with governor against CM, former BDA chairman

BENGALURU: A fresh complaint has been filed against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, this time by some residents of Arkavathy layout. The complaint, filed by site owners Shivalingappa, Venkatkrishnappa and Ramachandraiah Rajashekhar, alleges misuse of power by the CM, then BDA Commissioner T Shyam Bhat and other officials.

They claimed that the officials had misused their authority, causing problems for the allottees of Arkavathy Layout, who have been struggling to get possession of their sites.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) developed Arkavathy Layout on approximately 800 acres, merging 16 villages including Thanisandra, Sampigehalli, Jakkur and K Narayanapura.

Over one lakh people applied for sites, with 20,000 considered beneficiaries. The BDA executed registration-cum-sale deeds with 12,000 people. However, allottees face issues due to alleged irregularities and encroachment. Despite registering sites, many cannot access their plots. This prompted the site allottees to complain to the governor.

In 2004, Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had invited applications for plots in Arkavati Layout. In 2006, hundreds were allotted plots by BDA which took Rs 2.5 lakh for 30×40 sites and Rs 4.5 lakh for 40×60 sites. Since it is a registration-cum-sale deed, the site owners cannot sell the BDA site for at least ten years.

Arkavathy Layout site was withdrawn in 2014 during CM Siddaramaiah’s first term. But site allottees had been paying property tax since 2006. The BDA developed Arkavathy Layout after acquiring land from the farmers. But the sites were allotted after giving compensation to the farmers.

Since 2014, the sites, which was registered as tenant allotment, has been withdrawn but the land acquired from the farmers has not been returned to the farmers. Once allotted and registered, they are not allowed to go to their plots. When they asked about this, officials said there is no site in Arkavathy and to check out in Kempegowda Layout. The allotted land has even encroached upon by land grabbers,causing problems to the allottees, who are the rightful beneficiaries, the complaint says.