BENGALURU: To address the ongoing dispute affecting numerous site owners in Banashankari 6th Stage, the BDA and the forest department will conduct a joint land survey in the coming weeks. This decision was made during a meeting held by the BDA on Wednesday, responding to persistent complaints from buyers and site allottees in this south Bengaluru layout.
Officials determined that a new survey is essential since the previous one did not involve the forest department, resulting in conflicting claims regarding land extent and buffer zones.
A survey conducted by the BDA in collaboration with the revenue department in September 2024 indicated that the forest department occupied an extra 16 acres and 31 guntas beyond the originally designated 43 acres. However, the forest department contested these findings, necessitating a joint verification.
A senior BDA official informed TOI: “We are redoing the survey with input from all stakeholders to avoid confusion. We have set a two-week deadline, and the BDA will also conduct a drone survey for clarity. If it’s confirmed that the forest department indeed possesses the additional 16 acres, the buffer zone issue will be automatically resolved. If not, we will consider further actions.”
The two departments are scheduled to reconvene on January 7 to review the findings and determine the next steps.
More than 1,500 families who purchased sites in the BDA-developed layout have faced uncertainty for years. Established in 2001, this layout includes over 20,500 sites spread across 14 blocks. The dispute mainly affects the 3rd, 4th, and 5th blocks, where construction has been halted after the forest department claimed certain areas fall within a 100-metre buffer zone of BM Kaval Agara forest land.
