Bengaluru: With issues concerning private layouts are bothering the site allottees and house owners, Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh directed the Urban Development Authorities and Urban Planning authorities to mandatorily get Government  approval before sanctioning any private Layouts.

Presiding over a progress review meeting of Urban Development Authorities and Urban Planning Authorities at Bengaluru on Monday, Suresh questioned why the Authorities are found lacking in formation of layouts when private developers are forming a number of layouts.

“The Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act has been framed for enabling Urban Development Authorities to form layouts and distribute sites to the people at affordable rates. It is the responsibility of officials to develop layouts after entering into a 50:50 ratio agreement with land loser farmers and to make sites available to the members of the public. The job of the Urban Development Authorities is not just for approving privately developed layouts and maps,” he said in strong terms.

Continuing, the Minister said “There are different norms for Urban Development Authorities and private developers for the formation of layouts, which are discriminatory in nature.  As such, amendments should be brought to the rules and regulations that apply to both”.

Underlining the need for the officials to be in touch with farmers or land owners who are willing to part with their land or to convince the farmers to part with their land, Suresh said that, however, there is the provision for acquisition of land if both the efforts fail.

“The officials should use these ways to form Layouts. Also, the officials instead of depositing available excess funds as fixed deposits in Banks, should use it for formation of layouts”,                       Suresh said.

“As per the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, there is a provision for framing rules for reserving space for CA sites, underground drainage network, parks and roads even in privately developed layouts. The maps and records of land on which the Urban Development Authorities and Urban Planning Authorities form layouts will be in accordance with the law. At a time, when private developers are making lots of money by forming layouts and selling thousands of sites, why has it not been possible in the case of Urban Development Authorities,” Byrathi Suresh wondered.

He further said he will hold  review meetings once in three months and officials should come with records showing further advancements  in that period.

Urban Development Department Secretary Deepa Cholan, Urban Development Authority and Urban and Rural Planning Commissionerate Commissioner N. Venkatachalapathi, Director Thippeswamy and other officials were present.