Fake documents for 50:50 ratio; e-auction manipulation; CA site misuse

Mysore/Mysuru: The deeper we delve into the corruption within the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), more shocking the revelations become. It is a glaring example of how corruption can undermine foundations of urban development and public trust.

Whispers from within MUDA Office corridors suggest that high-value properties can be                  acquired for half their price through intermediaries. This rampant corruption is a blow to Mysuru’s integrity, revealing the dark underbelly of an organisation that should stand for urban development and public welfare.

MUDA has developed and allocated plots in Mysuru’s most prestigious neighbourhoods over the past four or five decades. However, vacant plots in these layouts are now being sanctioned illegally, causing a loss of crores of rupees to MUDA and State Exchequer.

There are serious allegations that these plots are being sold at incredibly low prices to influential individuals and those with contacts among powerful MUDA Officers.

These officers, in turn, protect these illegal activities, sell the plots to the wealthy through fake documents and pocket enormous amounts of money without facing any repercussions.

50:50 deal: A facade for corruption

One of the most shocking revelations is the corruption embedded in the 50:50 plot allocation scheme. Plots are allocated in a 50:50 ratio in cases where the land acquisition process remains incomplete and compensation is not provided to the land-owners.

After developing layouts and allocating plots, a note is written on the files many years later, stating that there is no information about compensation amount given to original land-owner. This leads to the approval of alternative plots, creating a fertile ground for malpractice.

This alternative plot scam is already in the public domain. Additionally, reliable sources have reported another scandal where MUDA officials play a ‘fake game’ under the pretext of the 50:50 ratio, committing massive fraud.

‘Fake game’ explained

MUDA officials create fake documents based on old land acquisition notifications, claiming that certain lands in survey numbers have been acquired. Using this claim, they obtain the MUDA Board’s administrative approval to allocate alternative plots to the original owner in a 50:50 ratio. Surprisingly, this ‘fake game’ too is played legally, after necessary approvals from the MUDA Board.

After obtaining the Board’s clearance, these plots are then sold at lower prices to influential people, particularly in prestigious neighbourhoods such as Dattagalli, Vijayanagar and Kuvempunagar. Plots with a market value of around Rs. 2 crore are set at just 30-40 percent of their price, with the remaining amount being pocketed by the officials.

This ‘fake game’ is conducted under the guise of legitimate procedures, making it nearly impossible to scrutinise everything thoroughly. This has turned out to be a goldmine for corrupt officials.

Manipulating e-auction

The corruption extends beyond plot allocations. Officials also manipulate the e-auction process of MUDA sites. They pre-arrange deals with influential people, locking the prices they suggest into the software. If a higher bid is entered, the process mysteriously fails to complete.

Amid thousands of participants in the e-auction, these failures are often perceived as technical glitches, allowing the malpractice to go unnoticed. However, allegations suggest that numerous influential individuals in Mysuru have amassed hundreds of plots through these fraudulent methods.

CA site misuse

The allocation of Civic Amenities (CA) sites to associations and organisations exposes further corruption within MUDA. Despite some plots being approved for 100 years during the City Improvement Trust Board (CITB) era, many remain unused even after 30 to 40 years, deviating from their intended purposes.

MUDA officials have reportedly targeted these unused plots, issuing notices to cancel them due to non-compliance with usage rules. When the holders of these CA sites visit the MUDA Office to present their perspective on the notices, officials allegedly exploit the situation to extort money from them.

Glaring examples of misconduct

Despite Kuvempunagar being established five decades ago, many plots remain under MUDA’s control. Shockingly, these plots are being unlawfully sold and distributed to influential individuals.

In one egregious instance, an entire acre of land designated as a commercial plot has been allocated and distributed under suspicious circumstances.

Another glaring example of misconduct involves a large tract of land in Kuvempunagar, previously seized from a cooperative society and adorned with a ‘MUDA land’ signboard.

Allegedly, certain officials conspired to subdivide this land into approximately 300 plots, intending to allocate them to members of the same cooperative society from which the land was originally seized. This ambitious project sought approval for a staggering investment of Rs. 500 crore. However, sources indicate that officials encountered significant obstacles and failed in their endeavours.