Manivannan acts, BDA demolishes illegal shops built on CA site at AECS layout

Bengaluru

Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) officials on Tuesday demolished six unauthorised shops and an association building constructed on a Civic Amenity (CA) site in the Aeronautical Engineers Cooperative Society (AECS) Layout in Kundalahalli, East Bengaluru. The blrpost.com was first to report on illegal buildings.

Also Read this news website’s first report: Encroachment: AECS Layout Welfare Association in Bengaluru turns CA site into commercial hub

The action follows repeated complaints from residents about commercial activities being run illegally on land designated for public use. The sources in the BDA said,  Commissioner, Manivannan P considering the complaint very seriously directed the officials to demolish the illegal buildings. 

About three earthmovers arrived to the layout and commenced demolition as people watched action unfold. A section of association members had allowed six shops to operate on the CA site illegally. 

The encroachment, covering approximately 4,800 sq. ft of the CA site, had been in place for over a year. The shops, which included popular local outlets such as Fashion Craft and Kuruk Tindi, were reportedly rented out by a group of self-proclaimed office bearers of the AECS Residents Welfare Association (RWA). 

The association, registered under the Karnataka Societies Registration Act, 1960, has been inactive for several years, failing to conduct annual general meetings, audits, or elections as mandated by its bylaws. Documents accessed by authorities also indicate that the association had no legal claim to the land, making the commercial activities illegal.

Residents of the AECS Layout, which spans Kundalahalli, Thubarahalli, and Chinappanahalli villages in Bengaluru East Taluk, had repeatedly raised concerns over the encroachment. Complaints were sent to the BBMP and shared in official ward committee WhatsApp groups, but no action was taken for months. Frustrated by inaction, residents escalated the matter to the BDA.

BDA officials acted decisively after verifying that no allotment of the CA site had been made to the association. The Estate Officer (EO) directed the Executive Engineer (East) to initiate legal proceedings and ultimately to demolish the structures. According to the BDA, the site, which falls under Survey Numbers 131/1 and 131/3 of Kundalahalli village, was originally earmarked for parks and playgrounds for residents. Civic Amenity sites, under the Revised Master Plan 2015, are strictly meant for community-oriented facilities and cannot be used for commercial purposes unless explicitly permitted.

The association had defended its actions, claiming the site had previously housed a BBMP ward office and three religious shrines, and that the local MLA had supported the commercial development. However, officials clarified that such historical usage does not grant any legal rights to the association for commercial exploitation of public land.

BDA’s intervention marks a critical enforcement step against the misuse of civic spaces in East Bengaluru. The demolition not only removes illegal commercial structures but also restores the CA site to its intended public use, ensuring that residents have access to community facilities as planned in the original layout.

“This action sends a clear message that encroachments and unauthorised commercial activities on public land will not be tolerated,” a senior BDA official said. Residents have welcomed the move, stating that it reinforces the accountability of welfare associations and government authorities in protecting community resources.

The BDA has also indicated that follow-up measures will be taken to prevent future encroachments, including stricter monitoring of CA sites and ensuring that only legally recognised associations manage community spaces.