Efforts by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to conduct a survey on illegal and unauthorized buildings in the city have encountered significant delays, as zonal engineers and officials seem reluctant to take action. Despite clear directives from BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath to complete the survey and submit reports, progress has been slow, with many zones yet to comply with the mandate.
On October 25, BBMP Chief Commissioner Girinath instructed all zonal commissioners to initiate a survey of buildings constructed without the necessary approvals or in violation of approved plans. The Chief Commissioner set a tight deadline, instructing that a report be submitted within one week, using a dedicated app to log data on unauthorized constructions. To assist with the task, a private agency was hired and 70 staff members were deployed to help gather the data.
Reports from the Mahadevapura and West Zones were submitted on time, but other zones have been slow to provide their findings. With the deadline now extended to November 4, sources within BBMP have indicated that the process is still in its early stages in many areas, with local engineers hesitant to identify unauthorized buildings or provide accurate data.
Internal sources suggest that local engineers are facing various pressures, including political interference, which is contributing to the delays. These engineers, who are tasked with identifying and reporting unauthorized buildings, are reportedly slow in taking action, which is hindering the progress of the survey.
“The app can be effective, but local engineers need to input the data, and that’s where the delays are occurring. There are a lot of pressures on these officials, including political interference, which is causing the process to stall,” an insider from the BBMP’s Urban Planning Division explained.
In an ideal scenario, junior and assistant engineers, along with joint directors of urban planning, are responsible for identifying and issuing notices for unauthorized constructions. However, sources reveal that these officials often fail to follow through on the notices, allowing illegal construction to proceed unchecked. In many cases, these buildings are allowed to continue until they face demolition notices or are involved in accidents. Only then do officials take serious action.
A particularly concerning issue highlighted by BBMP’s enforcement team is the inconsistent follow-up on final notices issued to certain buildings in previous years. These notices, meant to address unauthorized construction, have not been properly enforced, leaving many illegal buildings standing without any corrective action taken. The failure to act on these notices has been a major stumbling block in the broader effort to address the city’s illegal construction crisis.
“Building-related disasters are the only time we see serious action taken, like demolitions or investigations. But until that happens, the process remains largely dormant,” shared an official from the Urban Planning Division. This systemic inaction has led to a backlog of illegal buildings across Bengaluru, many of which have not been fully investigated or addressed for years.
Despite these delays, top leadership, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, have emphasised the need for swift action. Following the tragic building collapse in Babu Sa Palya earlier this year, both leaders issued strong statements, instructing officials to act swiftly and without fear of political pressure. They stressed the importance of producing a detailed report on unauthorized buildings and called for the immediate enforcement of building laws.
However, despite these instructions, local officials have yet to respond effectively. Chief Commissioner Girinath reiterated the urgency of the survey, urging all zonal officials to expedite the process. But even as deadlines loom, the survey remains largely incomplete, with many zones failing to submit their reports in a timely manner.
Another factor contributing to the delay is the late appointment of the Nodal Officer for the survey. Girish, the Additional Director of Urban Planning, was only assigned to oversee the survey on Tuesday, leaving little time to organise and streamline the process. According to Girish, local engineers are still in the process of identifying the unauthorized buildings and forwarding the data to the central office.
“I was appointed as the nodal officer just this Tuesday, and the work has not yet begun in full earnest,” Girish confirmed, acknowledging the delays. “We are waiting for data from local engineers before we can move forward with the report.”
The survey on unauthorized buildings was envisioned as a crucial step in addressing Bengaluru’s rampant illegal construction problem, which has been exacerbated by rapid urbanisation and lax enforcement of building laws. Without swift action and full cooperation from BBMP engineers and officials, the effectiveness of the survey remains in doubt.
As the city faces growing concerns over safety, particularly after the recent building collapse in Babu Sa Palya, the pressure is mounting on BBMP officials to act. With the state government and BBMP leadership pushing for immediate action, it remains to be seen whether the stalled survey can be completed in a timely manner or if bureaucratic inertia will continue to delay the process.