BDA misses deadline for completion of basic amenities at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout

‘Residents who proceeded with construction work were forced to secure temporary electricity connections from distant Bescom feeders, incurring additional expenses of ₹20,000 to 30,000’

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has failed to meet the 14-month deadline for completion of basic amenities across all nine blocks of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL).

The deadline, which the Karnataka Assembly’s Petition Committee set on September 7, ended on October 7 (Thursday). This was aimed at providing essential infrastructure in a stipulated time frame.

While the BDA said 80% of the work was completed across the blocks, the residents claimed that only Block 7 is close to completion. There was slow progress in the ongoing road work in Blocks 5 and 6, and the remaining six blocks are likely to see more delay in completion of the work.

Construction work hindered

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Suryakiran A.S. of NPKL Open Forum said, “Lack of roads, electricity, water, and sewage have hindered construction work in the layout. Out of 29,000 available plots, only 20 to 30 houses were being under construction, as prospective homeowners find it nearly impossible to build without basic infrastructure.” 

Residents who proceeded with the construction work were forced to secure temporary electricity connections from distant Bescom feeders, incurring additional expenses of ₹20,000 to 30,000. A substation for the layout has been under construction for over two years with no end in sight, forcing some residents to rely on power lines that connect to their meters even for streetlights, he added. 

The area also suffers from unpaved muddy roads that become unusable during rain. Although tenders were issued eight months ago for asphalting in Blocks 5, 6, and 7, significant progress is only visible in Block 7, with work in Blocks 5 and 6 just starting. Meanwhile, the remaining blocks await tendering, said another resident.

Sewage management

Sewage management is another issue, as residents are not permitted to connect to the incomplete sewerage network until the construction of houses is completed. This has led to overflowing manholes and forced some residents to construct soak pits as temporary solutions, he said.

A BDA official said that while the deadline was missed, the authorities had faced a few challenges. “The rain also played a spoilsport. The BDA is working fast to complete the project to provide the basic amenities,” the official said.

Published - November 08, 2024 09:30 pm IST