BENGALURU: Frustrated by ongoing issues such as water shortages, traffic jams, and increasing crime rates, a group of volunteers from AECS Layout, located near Brookefield and Kundalahalli, decided to take action. They conducted a survey of their area and uncovered 30 high-rises under construction that they allege are violating norms set by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA). Their findings revealed that numerous buildings have been erected beyond the sanctioned heights of G+2 or G+3, reaching G+6, G+7, and even G+8 floors.
Residents expressed that this unauthorized vertical expansion has led to severe sewage overflow, garbage accumulation, traffic congestion, and diminished footpaths. A survey carried out via a WhatsApp group for AECS Layout residents found over 270 individuals “strongly disagreeing” with the illegal construction of high-rises and the proliferation of paying guest accommodations. With support from their neighbors, approximately 10 citizen volunteers traced these illegal constructions by adhering to GBA building regulations, mapping 30 high-rises across five sections of the Mahadevapura east zone.
Despite having submitted a formal complaint to the GBA (formerly BBMP), many of the identified structures have been completed, leaving residents disillusioned by unchecked construction, overextended infrastructure, and ineffective law enforcement. Long-term residents, some of whom have lived in the area for over 30 years, worry about the depletion of groundwater, commercial encroachment, and the disorder caused by PG accommodations.
One resident, 49, remarked: “I’ve been living here since 1990, and after Covid, we’ve seen a surge in high-rise constructions. Exiting our layout has become a struggle due to traffic, and the influx of new commercial establishments is worsening the situation. Two years ago, we experienced a critical water shortage, which only seems to be escalating. Originally, AECS Layout was a cooperative society for HAL employees—my father was among them—but now it has opened up to everyone, and many plots have changed hands, transforming our previously tight-knit community beyond recognition.”
A 59-year-old volunteer, who has lived in the area for the last 25 years, added: “The infrastructure in our layout—water supply, sanitation, and electricity—was never intended to support such high-rises. This problem has been ongoing, but with inaction from officials, we took matters into our own hands.”
One of the volunteers noted: “Last year, nearby buildings developed cracks, and despite court orders being ignored, no action was taken. We protested against two specific constructions, and officials issued notices promising intervention, yet due to lack of follow-up, those buildings were completed. Where is the enforcement of the law?”
Equipped with their evidence, residents are now urging GBA officials to demolish the non-compliant structures and instruct BWSSB and Bescom to sever water and power connections.
A senior IAS officer acknowledged: “There is a lack of clarity from the government regarding building violations. We are uncertain about whether to take action or to regularize such constructions.”
A senior official from the GBA’s East corporation stated: “We have sent notices to the builders, but they completed their constructions regardless. We plan to reach out to them again for one final notice, and in the next two weeks, we’ll decide on actions to demolish the illegal buildings.”
