Bengaluru civic body under fire for incomplete demolition of building, resumed construction | Bengaluru

Bengaluru’s civic body, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), is facing growing criticism after a demolition operation in Mahadevapura raised questions about transparency. The BBMP had recently posted a tweet highlighting the demolition of a building, only to delete it shortly thereafter, after which residents noted that construction had resumed, which ignited public outrage.

A resident shared images of the building on social media site X, which triggered a debate on accountability and credibility of the agency. Vishesh Arora pointed out that the demolition was far from complete, with construction activities resuming on the site just a day later.

This has led to accusations that the BBMP’s efforts were merely superficial, with Arora writing, “Here is the ‘after demolition’ picture of this building.”

“Here is the picture from today, with construction resumed. Great demolition job,” he later uploaded, showing the building intact. “@Bbmpcares any specific reason you decided to delete your original post? The construction has also resumed,” he further wrote.

The deleted tweet and the subsequent resumption of construction prompted a flood of criticism on social media, where users accused the BBMP of prioritizing media optics over genuine enforcement. “This is not right. BBMP should be conducting demolitions in letter and spirit. Pls show photographs after demolition and before demolition,” a user wrote.

The BBMP, which has been operating without an elected council since 2020, has faced scrutiny for its management practices, with critics noting a pattern of ineffective oversight.

The incident has also sparked discussions about the need for significant reforms in Bengaluru’s governance. Suggestions include breaking the city into smaller, independently governed municipal corporations to improve efficiency and accountability.

Amid this turmoil, BBMP officials have yet to respond to the public’s concerns. The authority had recently announced plans to target unauthorized buildings citywide following a tragic building collapse that claimed eight lives. Initial efforts included demolishing a five-storey structure in Hennur, constructed without proper permissions, and a dilapidated building in Islampur slum.