High Court Orders Full Demolition of Apartment Block in Yelahanka

Karnataka News: The Karnataka High Court had directed the Bengaluru Development

Authority to prepare a contingency plan to tear down a complete apartment block if the builder

failed to tear out two unauthorised floors.

The bench’s verdict in IBC Platinum City in Bengaluru’s Peenya district, came after Sheriff

Construction had failed to deliver on its obligation to demolish the 14th and 15th floors erected

illegally of one of the eight blocks.

"The BDA Commissioner is required to prepare an order for the eviction and demolition of the

whole building and bring the development into compliance with the applicable building by-

laws," the court said on November 25. The case will be heard next on December 11.

The offending developer, who had acted against the official plan, had committed to knocking

down the two floors but now alleged that the deconstruction would make the structure unstable,

the court said.

"The court has several times granted reliefs to fix the flaws and infractions that BDA has raised.

But today, the developer wants to postpone proceedings that have been on hold since 2013," the

court said.

It was responding over violation to an affidavit from Sheriff Construction, alleging that the

removal of beams for the upper floors would put the building and surrounding structures at risk

of structural failure.

Platinum City is the first luxury group housing development in the state & located in

Yeshvanthapur. It features over 2,500 units over 34 acres, according to details provided on the

99Acres website.

Anil Kalgi, president of Bangalore City Flat Owners’ Welfare Association, claimed that the

project’s eight towers were being constructed against the plans. "If the developer can't demolish

the upper two floors due to structural problems, they must demolish the entire building and re-do

it as per bylaws," Kalgi, who is also a project member, told reporters.