Displaced families have pitched makeshift tents on rocky debris after the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) demolished more than 300 houses on waste disposal plots in Kogil, Yelahanka. | Photo credit: ALLEN EGENUSE J
A survey conducted earlier to assess families affected by the demolition drive in Fakeer Colony and Waseem Layout parts of Kogil, Yelahanka may not be considered, with officials in the housing corporation and the revenue department indicating that a fresh survey is likely to be conducted.
The development has added to the uncertainty faced by the displaced families who have been homeless since December 20, despite an assurance given by Minister for Social Affairs and Minority Housing BZ Zameer Ahmed Khan that houses would be provided on January 2, a deadline that has long since passed. The Housing Minister remained available for comment.
However, the affected families said that these surveys are just a way to delay the process and reduce the number of beneficiaries. They added that they would launch a campaign to demand a clear confirmation of allotment of flats by Republic Day.
Issues related to beneficiary verification, eligibility norms and fluctuating numbers of affected families have emerged as major loopholes. When The Hindu visited the site a month after the demolition, residents pointed out that several families from other settlements and workplaces had started staying in the area after learning that housing allowances were being extended to displaced persons, further complicating the verification process.
The state government has proposed to allot flats to evicted families under the Chief Minister’s One Lakh Housing Scheme. However, families described meeting all of the program’s eligibility requirements as impractical. Several of them claimed that not all residents were properly verified during earlier surveys and expressed concern that some genuine applicants may be excluded from the final list. They also questioned Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh’s recent statement that only 90 families were found eligible and asked on what basis the figure was determined.
Displaced families also demanded transparency of the eligibility criteria, arguing that the authorities must clearly explain the requirements and offer alternatives where families do not meet any condition. “While most of the residents here have Aadhaar cards and ration cards, a few families lost their documents during the demolition. In such cases, electricity bills, service records or other official proofs of residency can be accepted,” resident Daulat Abdullah said.
Residents also pointed to the cancellation of ration cards, saying these were canceled due to “irregular lifting” of rations from the area. “In many cases, the rations were not issued at all because the settlement was not recognized for public distribution, so several families were penalized for administrative malpractice,” said Ismail Mohammed, another resident.
The number of families affected by the demolition changed sharply across the surveys. An NGO and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) initially put the number of sheds demolished at 167, but a joint survey followed by revenue officials and the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) identified 180 affected families. After the housing announcement, the number submitted by the slum leaders increased to 350 and was then reduced to 280. The latest count brought the number down to 242 families.
However, revenue department officials said that according to the initial assessment, all 242 families may not be able to qualify as the scheme requires several conditions, including a minimum five-year residence in Bengaluru and possession of documents such as voter ID, ration card and Aadhaar. Failure to meet any of these requirements would result in complete exclusion from the exercise, according to officials.
Published – 23 Jan 2026 21:05 IST
