Squatters for 32 years!

• 50 LIG houses built by CITB now MDA, illegally occupied by people with political blessings
• Shock-1: Majority occupants have rented out their illegally-occupied houses
• Shock-2: In 32 years no officer has inspected or evicted the illegal occupants

Mysore/Mysuru: In a shocking case of unregulated urban development, a 50-unit housing layout originally built by City Improvement Trust Board (CITB, later renamed as Mysuru Urban Development Authority-MUDA and now, Mysuru Development Authority-MDA),  for economically weaker sections has remained in bureaucratic limbo for over three decades — forgotten, unregulated, and quietly taken over.

For 32 years, several families have illegally occupied these houses. Some have even converted them into rental properties, profiting from public assets without scrutiny.

Despite the lack of legal ownership, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has been providing full civic amenities — including water, electricity, garbage clearance and underground drainage — effectively legitimising these encroachments.

Now, the MDA has finally stepped in. Notices have been served to all occupants, directing them to produce proof of ownership within seven days. Failure to comply will attract eviction and criminal proceedings.

The layout in question is located at Hebbal First Stage, opposite the City Improvement Trust Board (CITB) Choultry, now known as Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Convention Hall, in Subramanya Nagar. The houses were constructed in 1988-89 for low-income groups.

Bureaucratic lapse

However, after construction, the houses were never allotted to the intended beneficiaries. Officers simply forgot about the project, leading to widespread illegal occupation over the last 32 years.

There are no records of house allotments, beneficiaries, rent payments, advances or revenue generated. The entire layout has been operating without any official oversight or monetary trail.

Shockingly, MCC continued to provide civic amenities to these unauthorised occupants without verifying essential ownership documents such as possession certificates, completion reports or approvals — all mandatory prerequisites for service connections.

The anomaly came to light recently when MDA Secretary K. Johnson identified the irregularities and brought them to the attention of MDA Commissioner K.R. Rakshith, who has since ordered a complete eviction and property recovery drive.

It is learnt, MUDA had auctioned a few houses in the layout several years ago. Yesterday, MDA Revenue Inspectors T. Manjunath and Mahadevaswamy issued eviction notices to 21 houses. Signatures acknowledging receipt of notices were obtained while notices were pasted on doors of houses found locked.