Mysuru: BJP leaders yesterday visited the site at Gayathripuram Park where four houses were demolished by the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL) on Sept. 29 for road construction.

Former MP Prathap Simha, BJP City President L. Nagendra and former Mayors Sandesh Swamy and Shivakumar inspected the site and spoke to the affected house owners.

They also warned of launching a protest if the authorities failed to take immediate steps to reconstruct the demolished houses.

Speaking to media persons later, Prathap Simha said, the houses were demolished suddenly for road construction without serving notices on the owners, resulting in severe losses and leaving people without shelter.

“The houses were demolished all of a sudden for road construction without issuing notices to the owners. This has caused severe loss and left people shelterless. BJP worker Giridhar, who tried to stop the demolition, was also taken into custody by the Police,” he said.

Prathap Simha said, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Zone-9 Engineer Harish had assured the residents that the damaged houses would be reconstructed and urged the officer to honour the written assurance.

“They should either reconstruct the damaged walls, including repairing the underground drainage or provide compensation,” he added.

BJP City President L. Nagendra expressed his anger over the sudden demolition and said, the house owners should have been served notices before the drive was undertaken. “MCC has claimed that it has no connection with the demolition. KRIDL officials are at fault. The work should have been taken up only after completing the due process,” he said.

Nagendra urged District Minister Dr. Yathindra Siddaramaiah to initiate action against the officials responsible for the demolition and suspend them.

Former Mayor Sandesh Swamy said, Puttanna, one of the residents, had been issued a khata in 2002-03 and asked to pay property tax. “Now, all of a sudden, the houses of poor people who have been living here for the past 40 to 50 years have been demolished,” he said.

Swamy also questioned Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait for not visiting the spot despite protests by the affected residents.