Applicants drawn by government’s rehabilitation offer submit multiple applications, officials say.
BENGALURU
After the demolition of 167 illegally constructed houses and sheds in the Kogilu Bande quarry area, more than 250 applications have been received from people seeking rehabilitation benefits, raising concerns over eligibility and duplication.
The illegal structures in the Kogilu quarry area of Yelahanka hobli, under the Bengaluru North municipal limits, were recently cleared as part of an enforcement drive. Following the demolition, the state government announced that those who lost their houses would be considered for allotment of flats in a housing complex at Byappanahalli, subject to eligibility. Subsequently, officials began verifying documents submitted by applicants.
Officials said that in several cases, two or even three applications have been submitted from a single demolished house. There are also suspicions that outsiders, who were not residents of the demolished structures, may have applied to avail the rehabilitation benefits. To address this, officials have collected and are scrutinising multiple documents from each applicant.
The documents include Aadhaar cards, voter identity cards, electricity bills, copies of temporary orders, and ration cards. Verification is being jointly carried out by officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), the Revenue Department, and the Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation to ensure authenticity and prevent misuse.
According to Yelahanka tahsildar Shreyas, the survey work in the Kogilu quarry area has been completed and over 250 applications have been received. “Document verification is under way and nearly 95 per cent of the submitted documents appear to be in order,” he said, adding that the final list of eligible beneficiaries is still being prepared.
However, officials acknowledged that the rehabilitation process has run into legal and administrative hurdles. These include issues related to revising the cost of the flats, aligning the project rules, and finalising a legally valid list of beneficiaries. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had earlier announced that flats constructed in the Byappanahalli housing complex, each costing ₹11.20 lakh, would be allotted to eligible victims.
But as per a government order issued in 2023–24, the cost of these flats has since been revised to ₹13.20 lakh. This higher cost has not yet been incorporated into the rehabilitation package, creating uncertainty over whether allotments can proceed without formally amending the earlier order.
The government had indicated that the houses would be handed over to the affected families by January 2. However, officials say the deadline is unlikely to be met due to delays in finalising the list of eligible beneficiaries and resolving procedural issues.
