Bangalore :The BDA’s master plan had provided for mixed residential areas in Bangalore which permitted Commercial activities in areas identified as residential. These areas were  termed as mixed – residential. BDA allowed certain types of commercial activity in these areas, but due to mismanagement of laws, areas with roads smaller than 40 ft saw hectic commercialization.

Citizens aggrieved by this, had filed a PIL in the High Court of Karnataka against what it termed “reckless commercialization” of residential areas through the Citizens Action Forum (CAF) “Masterplan 2015, through its rules and zoning regulations, has legalized commercialization of neighborhoods under a faulty interpretation of the concept of mixed residential land use,” the PIL stated. “The result of this was that every residential street saw IT offices.”

Disposing of the PIL, the HC had asked the government to notify certain modifications to the Masterplan 2015. It directed the government to amend the land use change rules to suit residential usage. Until the new rules were notified, the HC banned commercial activities in residential areas of RT Nagar, Rajajinagar, Richmond Town, Malleshwaram, Vijaynagar, VV Puram, Jayanagar and Vasanthanagar. Sanctioning of commercial activities (constructions and change of land use) was also kept in abeyance.

Based on the High Court judgment, the  BDA modified the Master plan and submitted it to the government for approval. City development comes under the CM and he has yet to sanction the modifications, resulting in business generation being hampered affecting both the citizen and the government.