BENGALURU: Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath on Friday directed officials to remove all buildings that encroached on stormwater drains by November 15.
At a meeting with tahsildars of all zones and senior officials regarding clearance of encroachments on SWDs and lakes, he said the responsibility for the maintenance of drains and roads has now been given to the respective zonal commissioners, and directed them to take up the encroachment clearance drive.
He said if encroachments are not cleared, appropriate action will be taken against the official concerned immediately.
On lake encroachment, he said a survey should be conducted immediately and instructed officials to immediately start encroachment removal as soon as the survey report is received.
Even when major areas in Mahadevapura and Yelahanka zones flooded in 2022, the BBMP launched an SWD encroachment removal drive. Some buildings were removed, but the Palike faced allegations of cherry picking for leaving out properties by influential people. The Palike’s delay in clearing encroachments citing the survey led many property owners to approach the court and obtain a stay. In one such incident, the government suspended a tahsildar for favouring a layout to get a court stay by delaying action.
Make TenderSure roads free of overhead cables: Girinath
Girinath on Friday directed officials to remove overhead cables, if any, from all TenderSure roads in the city.
During a meeting with BBMP and BESCOM officials, he said in future, agencies can install cables only through ducts and after taking permission from the civic body. If this is not done, appropriate action will be taken. He told BESCOM officials that they should not install cables on electric poles on TenderSure roads. He said the large amount of solid waste generated during the upcoming Deepavali festival should be cleared by using more compactors frequently.
