In a move aimed at addressing the concerns arising from the demolition drive carried out at the government land in Kogilu Layout, Bengaluru, the Congress-led Karnataka government announced alternative housing solutions for those affected.
The Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), carried out a demolition drive on Saturday (December 20), demolishing over 300 allegedly illegal structures in Fakir Colony and Waseem Layout to facilitate the establishment of a proposed solid waste processing facility.
The issue snowballed into a political row after Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Karnataka government of importing Uttar Pradesh’s “bulldozer raj,” alleging that most of those affected were Muslims. In response, Siddaramaiah, Shivakumar and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan held a meeting on Monday evening to address the politically sensitive issue.
After the meeting, Siddaramaiah said illegal structures had come up on 15 acres of government land earmarked for a solid waste management plant by the erstwhile Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. While asserting that encroachment of government land would not be tolerated, he said the government would provide alternative accommodation on humanitarian grounds.
He also ordered strict action against officials who allowed the illegal sheds to come up, adding that the Revenue Department and civic authorities would be empowered to act decisively.
The Chief Minister said the land had been handed over to the municipal corporation by the Bengaluru deputy commissioner and was being used for garbage disposal, with a rock quarry located nearby.
The families, he noted, had been living in the illegal sheds since 2020–21, and such encroachments could not have happened without the knowledge of local revenue officials. He directed officials to identify eligible residents and submit a list within two days, warning that officers would be held accountable for any illegal constructions.
Siddaramaiah further said the government has already built 1,087 houses in Baiyyappanahalli under its housing scheme. Once the list of genuine beneficiaries is finalised, families will be allotted homes in multi-storey buildings. Each unit costs ₹11.20 lakh, with state and central subsidies available—bringing assistance to ₹8.7 lakh for the general category and ₹9.5 lakh for SC/ST beneficiaries, along with a ₹2.5 lakh loan. The Greater Bengaluru Authority has been asked to contribute ₹5 lakh, and Housing Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan has been entrusted with overseeing the rehabilitation process.
