After widespread criticism followed the bulldozing of shelters in Kogilu, another demolition drive was carried out in the Thanisandra area of north Bengaluru on Thursday, with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) razing around 22 structures in the wee hours, reportedly without serving any prior notice to residents.
Residents said the demolition was carried out abruptly in the early morning hours, leaving several families displaced overnight, while BDA officials later admitted that the exercise had indeed been undertaken without serving notice, a disclosure that further intensified criticism of the authority’s actions.
The operation in Thanisandra came just days after the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) faced severe backlash for its demolition drive in Kogilu, where hundreds of houses belonging to economically vulnerable families, many of them Muslims, were razed, prompting allegations of arbitrariness and targeting of marginalised communities.
According to the BDA, houses, garages and godowns spread across nearly two acres were demolished, and the land, estimated to be worth around ₹80 crore, was reclaimed, with officials maintaining that the property had been notified for the Arkavathy Layout project as early as 2004.
The authority had earlier claimed that residents were aware of a court order and the impending action, but this assertion was firmly disputed by those affected.
Residents stated that BDA officials, accompanied by police personnel and multiple earthmovers, arrived at around 7 a.m., knocked on doors and ordered occupants to vacate immediately, asserting that demolition orders had already been issued, while no written notice was shown or served at any stage.
Many of the affected families said they had been living in the area for nearly two decades and possessed documents such as e-khata certificates, electricity connections and property papers, which they argued demonstrated the legitimacy of their occupation.
For several families, the demolitions resulted in instant homelessness, with residents reporting that household belongings were thrown out onto the streets and that vulnerable individuals, including women, children and those with health conditions, were left with nowhere to go.
The demolitions in Saraipalya and Thanisandra also triggered strong reactions on social media, with activists and journalists questioning whether the actions met even basic standards of lawful eviction and humane governance.
BDA Commissioner P. Manivannan acknowledged a prima facie lapse by the authority’s Special Task Force, stating that there was no record to show that residents had been alerted through notices, even while reiterating that the land belonged to the BDA as per official records.
He said arrangements would be made for rehabilitation and that the authority would bear the associated costs, while announcing that a probe had been ordered into the lapses, with retired Justice Niyaz Ahmed appointed to investigate the matter and submit a report within 30 days.