High Court Halts Unauthorised PG Construction in Whitefield

The Karnataka High Court has ordered an interim stay on further construction at an allegedly unauthorised, high-density paying guest (PG) development in Whitefield. Hearing the case on August 27, the court directed the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Commissioner to ensure no additional construction occurs at the site and to submit an affidavit detailing completed and proposed actions since earlier demolition orders were issued.

Local residents reported that approximately 40 to 50 buildings, many reaching seven to eight storeys in height, have been erected along a narrow 10 to 15-foot access road around Mims Gulmohar Road and Athashri Road. The rapid construction has raised serious concerns regarding traffic congestion, inadequate parking, strained sewage and water networks, poor ventilation, and restricted access for emergency vehicles. Residents also pointed out that multiple structures have been built with minimal or no setbacks.

Neighbourhood groups questioned how the unauthorised layout advanced through official regulatory channels. According to residents, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) had initially warned against forming the layout without sanction and later issued demolition notices and orders. Despite these official warnings, plots were sold and registered, while civic authorities continued to issue khatas and approve building plans, allowing construction work to carry on uninterrupted.

Sandeep Anirudhan of the Whitefield Ward Committee stated that the development exposes systemic enforcement failures across government departments. He noted that the issue extends beyond individual illegal buildings to how an entire unauthorised layout could move through formation, registration, khata issuance, and plan approvals despite an active demolition order. He stressed that a 10 to 15-foot road cannot accommodate hundreds of additional residents without severely impacting the surrounding neighbourhood.

Anirudhan highlighted that similar high-density developments had previously triggered complaints in nearby Prashant Layout and White Rose Layout. He recalled an earlier special enforcement drive by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in the Mahadevapura Zone against bye-law violations in White Rose Layout, which was meant to serve as a test case for broader action across affected areas.

Following the High Court order, Whitefield residents welcomed the interim relief and called for an official inquiry into how the layout was formed, registered, and granted approvals despite regulatory prohibitions.