Civic Amenities

Civic amenities are those fa cilities 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, Elec- tricity Authority, Telephone Depart- ment, bus terminal, religious build-ings, community hall, club, etc.

Civic amenity sites are reserved in the extensions formed by the Development Authority or enforced by the Authority in approved pri- vate layouts. Civic amenities are provided by the civic authorities, Government departments, regis- tered 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 re-quired 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 de- mand for c.A. sites increased there was competition. Rules were here- fore framed and approved by Gov- ernment called" The Bangalore De- velopment 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 sta- tion, 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 profession- als, etc. The civic amenities are in- cluded as permissible uses in the Zoning Regulations of C.D.P. and Building Bye -laws under the vari- ous 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 res- taurant, club, library, fruits and bev- erages 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 Au- thority (Allotment of Civic Ame- nity Sites) Rules, 1989 for the pur- pose for which they are reserved.

Some times if a particular C.A. site is already available in the adjoin- ing 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 stitutions, 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 allot- ments 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 edu- cational 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 exten- sion 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 in- stitution 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 al- lotted for the purpose of Eye Hospital has been misused. Alround 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 gi ven 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 mis- used .In case of misuse the C.A. site may be re- sumed. Only then it may be possible to achieve the pur- pose 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 / corpora- tion lands are allotted by B.M.P. for in- stitutional pur- poses. 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 wa- ter drain facing Lalbagh Road to a private person to build a com- mercial 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 allottees have misused the sites for commercial purposes An automobile show room with ser- vice station and several restau- rants are existing in that site al- lotted 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, professionals 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 prob- lem 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 build- ings, and kalyana man tap.

When CIVIC amenities are required:

When an extension /colony comes 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, under ground drainage, and electricity. The first require- ment 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 of- fice, bank, police station, second- ary school, playground, etc. are necessary. Formation of park is in the last stage when the area is transferred to the municipal au- thorities. For other CIVIC amenities the residents de- pend on the ad- joining estab- lished local i- ties. Additional civic amenities come up in pri- vate 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. Residents wel- fare associations are formed to get the grievances settled by these au- thorities. Forming such associations is good to get the facilities and im- provements from the civic authori- ties for proper living conditions. If the grievances are not considered by the authorities, the residents welfare associations file writ petitions in the courts to get relief. Such associa- tions with sin- cere members are required in all localities.

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