The Rajiv Gandhi project, developed by the National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) Housing Society, has become the site of many irregularities and confusion. The land allotted to civic amenities (CAs) is left to the landowners. Gardens have disappeared in the wild.
The Department of Revenue has acquired 214 acres of land at Kodigehalli, Kothihoasahalli and various survey numbers in Byatarayanapura. NTI handed it over to the Housing Society to develop it into a residential development. According to the BDA Act, 45 per cent of the space in the premises should be reserved for civic amenities such as roads, parks and playgrounds. The fence shall be laid for the park reserved in accordance with the sanctioned layout map. The BDA had stipulated that only those developed sites would be allowed to be allocated to members.
In the first phase, the BDA granted planning permission for only 162 acres of 9-pound land. Out of 2,102 sites, 60% of the total 1,265 sites were released in 2010. In 2015, it released 10 per cent, ie, 630 sites.
45% of the space is reserved for CA sites, according to a letter issued by the Society. A total of 97,882 square meters (10.53 lakh square feet) of space is reserved for 29 parks, according to sanctioned maps and paperwork. There are not as many parks as the map shows. Although there are a few gardens, they are not of a fixed size. There are no chain link fences or anything.
For example, according to the revised list given in the Parity Letter, the park number-1 should be 952 square meters (10,247 square feet). It is also mentioned in the sanctioned map. GKVK to the west and north, road to the east and GKVK to the south and the society space. The ‘Prajawani’ team went to the site and checked whether there was a garden on the map. There is a GKVK enclosure wall to the west and north, adjacent to the road. However, it does not appear to be a garden or a place devoted to the garden.
The map shows that the number of the park is 4,532.57 square meters (48,790 sq ft) beside private property at the end of the road if you turn right on that road. If you search for it, you won’t find a garden until the end of the road. The former gets a compound of private property. There is not much space devoted to the garden.
The map states that there are 13 (6691.69 sqm) and 14 (3891.33 sqm) of parkland between the road and rail line adjacent to the Kodigehalli railway station. The road is adjacent to the railway line. No one can identify with the naked eye that a garden is located between the road and the railway line. It is not clear whether the small land belongs to the Railway Department or the road. It is supposed to be a reserved space for the garden but there is no chainlink fence.
“BDA officials have released 70 per cent of the sites, though they are not reserved for civic amenities. About 30% of the survivors are preparing to release the site. Locals complain that BDA rules and maps remain the same.
