Several real estate firms are now under the scanner after a committee headed by Karnataka Assembly Speaker KB Koliward presented an extensive report in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly that revealed that over 10,000 acres of lake area has been encorached in and around Bengaluru. The report suggests demolition or takeover of properties like apartments that were built by private companies and allotting the properties to the same companies on a lease agreement.
The report states that 10,785 acres or around 18% of lake area has been encroached in 1,547 lakes in the two districts and also names over 75 companies in a list of offenders. This includes some of Bengaluru biggest realtors like Prestige Developers, Sobha Limited and Bagmane Group.
Revenue Minister Kagodu Thimmappa disclosed in the Legislative Assembly that the district administration in Bengaluru was yet to file suo moto cases against encroachers. The Minister also said that there are provisions for filing criminal cases against encroachers of lakes.
The Bengaluru Development Authority is the biggest offender.
Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) 7 acres 6 guntas, Kengeri
The NICE group had earlier planned to construct the first of seven townships near Kengeri under the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP).
(Below is a list of real estate companies executing projects in and around former lakes and lake beds in Bengaluru. Of the total project, some guntas have been encroached upon according to the Koliwad report. The report does not name any specific project, but only names of builders).
Prestige Developers - 33 acres 18 guntas, Varthur. According to the report 4 guntas has been encroached on, plot empty.
Oasis Apartments - 15 acres 38 guntas, Varthur.
DS Max Apartment - 105 acres 18 guntas, Bidarahalli- 6 guntas encroached, labour shed constructed.
Sobha Apartments - 18 acres 6 guntas, Begur- less than 3 guntas, compound built.
Government Ashraya Scheme - 79 acres 32 guntas, Begur, Bengaluru South Taluk
The Ashraya Scheme provides temporary homes for children before safe houses are found for adoption.
Bagmane Group - 14 acres 24 guntas, KR Puram- More than 10 guntas, compound and fenced houses built.
ST Bed Layout - 49 acres 11 guntas, Srinivagilu, Bengaluru South Taluk.
ST Bed Layout in Srinivagilu is a housing colony
Enzyme Tech Park - 136 acres 30 guntas, Begur, Bengaluru South Taluk.
Enzyme Tech Park in Koramangala is home to a chain of business operations
Adarsh Developers - 42 acres 23 guntas, Varthur- Less than one gunta.
Chandrika Soap Factory - 57 acres 26 guntas, Kacharakanhalli, Bengaluru North Taluk- Just a little above one gunta.
The Chandrika Soap Factory in Kacharakanhalli has already been in the news for contributing to turning the Kacharakanahalli lake into a landfill
Advaith Apartments - 124 acres 25 guntas, Begur, Bengaluru South Taluk- Less than 125 guntas.
Advaith Apartments constructed a residential apartment in New Tippasandra
Brigade Developers - 13 acres 11 guntas, Bidarahalli- 16 guntas encroached.
Apartment Complex and Oberoi Company - 99 acres 33 guntas Kodigehalli, Bengaluru North Additional Taluk- Less than 25 guntas encroached in the front of the apartment, and less than 150 guntas in another empty site.
Oberoi Company constructed a residential apartment complex in Kodigehalli
Gordon View Apartment - 32 acres 16 guntas, KR Puram- Almost 9 guntas encroached upon says the report.
A residential apartment in KR Puram.
Ashwini Enterprises - 30 acres 37 guntas, Binnamangala- Encroachment detail not clear.
Note: On November 23, 2017, a news article was published on The News Minute (www.thenewsminute.com) about several lake areas in Bengaluru being illegally encroached for large-scale residential constructions by several real estate companies titled “Bengaluru Realtors who swallowed lakes: Prestige, Bagmane, Sobha and 62 other names”. This news article was based on a report tabled in Karnataka State Assembly. In this article, it was mentioned that a residential project by Prestige Developers in Varthur, with a total area of 33 acres and 18 guntas, was also one of the projects under scrutiny for lake encroachments. It was brought to our attention that the article could give the impression that entire 33 acres and 18 guntas of the project land had been encroached, whereas only 4 guntas of land were said to be encroached according to the report tabled in the Assembly and shown in the said report as vacant compound. As soon as this was brought to the attention of The News Minute, the article was modified.
We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience and embarrassment that may have been caused on account of the said publication.”