Bengaluru: In an effort to defuse the situation following the eviction of families from the Kogilu settlement in North Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Monday announced that eligible displaced families will be accommodated in multi-storey apartments at Baiyappanahalli, located in Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency. The apartments were originally built for the urban poor under government housing schemes.
The announcement followed the eviction of 167 unauthorised sheds from nearly 15 acres of government land, which triggered a political controversy. The issue drew national attention after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed the demolition of houses in Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony as “bulldozer raj”.
The Congress high command intervened soon after, expressing concern that such actions should be undertaken with greater caution, sensitivity and compassion, keeping the humanitarian impact in mind.
Addressing a press conference, Siddaramaiah defended the eviction, stating that the land belonged to the government and was earmarked for solid waste management projects. “However, purely on humanitarian grounds, we have decided to make alternative housing arrangements for eligible families,” he said.
The Chief Minister announced that the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the Housing Department would bear the bulk of the cost of each flat, which is valued at ₹11.20 lakh. Under the ‘Onti Mane’ scheme, the GBA will provide ₹5 lakh, while the Housing Department will contribute around ₹3 lakh through State and Central government subsidies. Beneficiaries from the general category will have to pay the remaining ₹2.5 lakh, which will be arranged as a loan. Housing Minister Zamir Ahmad Khan has assured that the loan facility will be provided.
For Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the financial burden will be lower due to higher subsidies.
Siddaramaiah said officials would prepare a list of eligible beneficiaries based on certain parameters, though the criteria were not disclosed. He clarified that the flats were constructed exclusively for the “site-less and homeless” under the Chief Minister’s One Lakh Housing Scheme, and only eligible families would be accommodated.
The Chief Minister assured that the allotment process would be completed by the first week of the New Year, noting that Baiyappanahalli, where the flats are located, is about 7 km from Kogilu.
During the press meet, Siddaramaiah directed strict action against revenue and civic officials who allowed unauthorised constructions on government land. “Such sheds could not have come up without their knowledge,” he said.
Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the government would not allow Bengaluru to be turned into a slum. He accused the Kerala Chief Minister of politicising the issue ahead of Assembly elections. Shivakumar said houses were built on legacy waste, making the land uninhabitable, and added that the area had been cleared to set up waste management plants.
Waste management projects planned in Kogilu
A 50-tonne biomethanisation unit, along with separate plants for processing animal waste and sanitary waste, are proposed on the cleared land at Kogilu.
Reiterating the government’s stand, Shivakumar said strict action would be taken against those who illegally collected money from vulnerable families to facilitate unauthorised settlements on public land.