Friday, 25 April 2014

CIVIC AMENITIES

(Advocates, Property advocates in Bangalore, Property lawyers in Bangalore)

Civic amenities are those facilities required in localities like schools and colleges, market, post office, police station, parks and play grounds, dispensary, hospital, area offices of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Electricity Authority, Telephone Department, bus terminal, religious buildings, community hall, club, etc. 

Civic amenity sites are reserved in the extensions formed by the Development Authority or enforced by the Authority in approved private layouts.Civic amenities are provided by the civic authorities, Government departments, registered charitable trusts etc.

In the new layouts the Development Authority reserves civic amenity sites (C.A. sites) for various facilities. After formation of roads, utilities services in an extension layout, civic amenity sites not required by the Authority are notified for allotment to Government departments, agencies, and registered trusts and institutions.

Earlier when the demand was less, as and when applications were received, C.A. sites were allotted by the Authority.Later, when the demand for C.A. sites increased there was competition.Rules were here- fore framed and approved by Government called"The Bangalore Development Authority (Allotment of Civic Amenity Sites) Rules, 1989. 

Civic amenity Sites required in area depends on the activities in that area. For residential areas, C.A. sites required are; nursery schools, primary schools, secondary schools, hostels, market, parks and play grounds, post office, police station, bank, Office of the Water Supply and Sewerage Board K.P.T.C.L. and Telephone Department offices, club, library, dispensary and maternity home, petrol bunk, offices of professionals, etc. The civic amenities are included as permissible uses in the Zoning Regulations of C.D.P. and Building Byelaws under the various land use zones.

The civic amenities required for a commercial zone are banks, transport offices, trading establishments, restaurants, post office, police station, and petrol bunk.In an industrial zone civic amenities required in addition to those in commercial zone are industrial training institute, job training institute, E.S.I. dispensary, automobile service station, play grounds, parks, recreational club, etc.
 
For public use zone civic amenities required are post office, police station, restaurants, Auditorium, training center, play grounds, and clubs.In Major Park and playground zone, the amenities required are restaurant, club, library, fruits and beverages shops,Hopcoms, books and magazines shops, and dispensary.
 
Standards for civic amenities:
The Urban Development Ministry in their Guide lines have indicated the following standards for civic amenities: The standards for polytechnic, college, and hospital are high and may have to be reduced. While planning the layout these standards are to be followed by B.D.A., housing societies, and agencies.
The Zoning Regulations of the C.D.P. of Bangalore prescribes 10% of the layout area for civic amenities and 15% for parks and playgrounds. These percentages are maintained in B.D.A. layouts, housing society layouts, layouts of Government quarters, and group housing projects. The civic amenity areas are taken over by B.D.A. by getting relinquishment deeds executed from the developers.The civic amenities in B.D.A. layouts and private layouts are allotted by B.D.A. according to the procedure laid down in the Bangalore Development Authority (Allotment of Civic Amenity Sites) Rules, 1989 for the purpose for which they are reserved. 

Sometimes if a particular C.A. site is already available in the adjoining locality the purpose may be changed by the Authority after passing a resolution in the Board meeting. Allotment of civic amenity sites:

a)By B.D.A.:
Civic amenity sites are reserved; allotted by B.D.A. to the Central and State Government departments or agencies established by these Governments. After making allotments to Government agencies, the remaining sites are notified in the news papers for allotment.The purpose for which institutions, societies, or associations registered under the Karnataka Co-operative Societies Act, Karnataka Societies Registration Act or registered trusts created wholly for charitable, educational, or religious purposes.C.A. sites are allotted on lease basis for a period not less than thirty years.

The institutions seeking allotments have to register themselves by paying Registration Fee, which will be valid for subsequent allotments also unless the registration is withdrawn. Concession is given in the lease amount to an extent of 50% to the institutions established for the welfare of physically and mentally handicapped, to the educational institutions teaching only Kannada medium and Government agencies. 

Lease agreements are executed and registered after which possession of the site will be handed over to the institution. The institution should put up the civic amenity building within three years. In deserving cases extension of time will be granted. If the construction is not made within the permitted period, the allotment will be cancelled and the amount paid will be refunded after deducting 12 V2 %. 

After expiry of the lease period, the C.A. site along with the buildings put up by non-governmental institutions will vest with the Authority.While the above are the procedures for allotment of C.A. sites, what happens actually is mentioned hereunder.:


There is no instance of B.D.A. resuming the site after the lease period. In one case of C.A. site in Wilson Garden B.D.A. was forced to extend the lease. When the institution is established in the C.A. site it is difficult to terminate the lease practically. 

In one case of C.A. site In West of Chord Road the site allotted for the purpose of Eye Hospital has been misused. Around this considerably big C.A. site commercial complex are built with large amount of income to the lessee. Even the remaining open area is being given for marriage functions. Hardly there is any Eye Hospital activity. Even such C.A. sites are not resumed by B.D.A.

Misuse of C.A. sites is found in considerable number of cases. It is suggested that the Authority should insist on a quarterly by certificate the Executive Engineer concerned; that the C.A. site is not being misused .In case of misuse the C.A. site may be resumed. Only then it may be possible to achieve the purpose for which the C.A. sites are reserved and allotted.

C.A. sites in B.M.P. area:
While handing over layouts developed by B.D.A. / housing societies / institutions /private developers, no C.A. sites will be left unallotted by B.D.A. except the parks and play grounds. Even after the layouts are transferred to B.M.P., lease amounts of C.A. sites will have to be paid to B.D.A. Further misuse of C.A. sites will take place after transfer of layouts. In most of the cases misuse is for commercial purpose facing the road, with C.A. activity being conducted in the rear portion.

The C.A. sites/corporation lands are allotted by B.M.P. for institutional purposes.These sites are either parts of dried tank beds or Government lands transferred to B.M.P. earlier. In one case B.M.P. allotted portion of big storm water drain facing Lalbagh Road to a private person to build a commercial complex by erecting R.C.C. columns in the drain. Such allotments are irregular and un- desirable. In the dried Miller Tank Bed area lands are allotted by B.M.P. to institutions Some of the allotters have misused the sites for commercial purposes An automobile show room with service station and several restaurants are existing in that site allotted by B.M.P. to an institution. Such misuse of public lands should be condemned and lands/ C.A. sites resumed.

K.H.B.:
K.H.B allots C.A. sites in their schemes to institutions.The lease is for 10 years. Two year's time is given for construction of buildings failing which the C.A site will be resumed.

Own lands;
Considerable number of civic amenities comes up in the lands owned by institutions or persons in the built up area of the city and in extensions of the City. The civic amenities, which come up in such, owned sites are kalyana mantaps, schools, dispensaries, banks, professional’s offices, etc.

Rented lands:
Civic amenities also come up in buildings rented for the purpose. Such cases are also considerable.The civic amenities that come up in rented lands / buildings are schools, banks, post offices, police stations, etc. In this case the problem is change of address when the owner of the property wants the same for self-occupation.

Gifted lands:
Philanthropic minded persons gift land /building to registered trusts /associations /their own family trusts for construction of schools, dispensary, hospital, religious buildings, and kalyana mantap.

When CIVIC amenities are required:
When an extension /colony come up and sites are allotted, buildings come up one by one in that area. The trends of construction of buildings depend on the availability of services like water supply, underground drainage, and electricity. The first requirement in the new extension is shops for day-to-day needs. Then comes the requirement for nursery school / primary school. When the area is substantially built up, post office, bank, police station, secondary school, playground, etc. are necessary. Formation of park is in the last stage when the area is transferred to the municipal authorities. For other CIVIC amenities the residents depend on the ad-joining established localities. Additional civic amenities come up in private buildings according to the requirement of the area.

Misuse of C.A. sites:
Residents protest to B.D.A. / B.M.P. when the civic amenity sites allotted are misused.Resident’s welfare associations are formed to get the grievances settled by these authorities. Forming such associations is good to get the facilities and improvements from the civic authorities for proper living conditions.If the grievances are not considered by the authorities, the resident’s welfare associations file writ petitions in the courts to get relief. Such associations with sincere members are required in all localities.

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