Kempegowda Layout allottees object to new BDA fee for water, drainage services

Bengaluru: The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) recently introduced a new fee of Rs 36,613 for essential services like drinking water, recycled water, and underground drainage at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout.

Site owners object to the new charges, saying it was already collected during site allotment.

Allottees said that the BDA has introduced the new fee for those who are seeking plan sanction for constructing houses from April this year. Through this, the BDA is expected to rake in an additional Rs 83 crore in revenue.

Writing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout Open Forum (NPKL) has pointed out that the BDA was trying to fill its empty bank accounts by burdening the allottees who bought the sites in 2016 and 2018, but are unable to build houses owing to lack of infrastructure in the layout.

“The sites were sold for rates beyond the market value. The BDA had promised to form a layout with all modern facilities. It collected the full amount from the allottees in advance. The additional fee of Rs 30,000 is being collected for unjustifiable reasons. The cost of constructing the house has gone up.

“The allottees are facing the brunt because of the BDA’s delay in handing over the sites long ago,” the letter states, demanding withdrawal of the additional fee.

BDA officials did not respond to calls.