While the Bangalore Development Authority [BDA]. has stepped up development activities at the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, or NPKL, that is situated between Mysuru Road and Magadi Road, the allottees in the III & IV Blocks have expressed grave concerns about certain lapses in planning as well as the lack of essential infrastructure that might go on to affect habitability.
The need for important civic amenities and a clear layout design in the land, especially after the erection of several homes and others in various stages of development, has been identified as a crucial issue for those intending to occupy the land. The pace of land acquisition and development has been appreciated by the residents but the design still lacks the ability to support a liveable layout.
Among the key problems pointed out by allottees is the absence of footpaths in the vast stretches of thelayout itself. “The absence of footpaths will not only affect pedestrians’ safety, but the residents will end up using cars for short distances, further aggravating the already bad traffic and pollution problems,” said one allottee in the representation submission to a review meeting conducted on December 24 as per ET Realty.
In allottees’ opinions, the original plans drafted by the BDA need to be reassessed by experts for avoiding a repetition of earlier planning “errors” in Bengaluru itself.
Inadequate infrastructure also goes beyond footpaths. Inadequate development of an essential 60-foot-wide major road linking III Block A Sector finally with the 300-foot major arterial road affects smooth automobile traffic. In addition, an internal road that goes through the buffer zone, where there is also a stormwater drain, is reportedly encroached upon, making it even more difficult to enter the area, as transporting any materials necessary for construction becomes an issue.
Errors in boundary demarcation are also a concern. The allottees state that as a result of wrongful boundary marking, buildings are intruding into adjacent plots, which may cause a dispute in the future. This was brought to the notice of the authorities to undertake a survey before the occupation begins.
The absence of electricity, water, and sanitary connections is discouraging settlers to come early to the design. To add to the concerns of the residents is the increasing cases of theft of electricity materials and building materials, thereby pressing the need to construct lighting along the roads, security posts, and temporary police outposts.
Madhu Sudhan V, executive committee member representing allottees of NPKL III Block, said flawed planning by earlier teams has left residents grappling with basic shortcomings. “The BDA, which is meant to develop residential layouts with essential infrastructure, has failed on fundamental aspects. There are no proper footpaths, and utility ducts are being passed off as footpaths, which is unacceptable. If duct slabs are removed for maintenance, pedestrians will have no safe space at all,” he said as per ET Realty.
He added that the plantation plan is impractical and that concerns raised during the review meeting appear to have been addressed only through temporary, patchwork measures. “We plan to inspect the layout with mobility experts. The lack of walkable infrastructure forces people to use vehicles even for short trips, worsening traffic and pollution,” he noted.
Echoing similar concerns, Yathish Chandra, a tech professional who owns a plot in IV Block, pointed to delays in land acquisition that stalled engineering works and disrupted contractor operations. He also flagged safety risks arising from transformers being installed too close to residential plots. “Other upcoming BDA layouts have well-planned footpaths, plantations and streetlights on both sides of the road. Since NPKL is still under development, the design can and should be corrected now,” he said.
Responding to the concerns, BDA chairman N A Haris said development at NPKL is progressing well, with nearly 78% of the work completed. “The remaining 22% of the work is expected to be finished in the next five to six months. There are a few minor technical issues such as sanitary pipeline works, but overall progress is smooth. Other issues raised by residents will also be addressed,” he assured.
Allottees, however, maintain that unless core planning and infrastructure gaps are resolved promptly, the layout risks becoming another example of missed opportunities in Bengaluru’s urban development journey.
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