Bangalore : Ambulance lane hits heritage Bull Temple

Chaitra Krushna 11, Kaliyug Varsha 5114

Construction Is In Violation Of A Recent Supreme Court Order

Bangalore: It’s to ensure that ambulances reach hospital quickly, but the laying of an approach road adjacent to the ancient Bull Temple in Basavanagudi by the BS Narayana Memorial Hospital is a violation of a recent Supreme Court order.

The area where the road is coming up is between 101 metre and 300 metre from the Bull temple

The order, according to state government officials, states that no fresh construction is allowed in an area of 300 metre around a protected, heritage monument. The area where the road is coming up is between 101 metre and 300 metre from the Bull Temple, a heritage structure.

In March second week, BMS Education Trust (which runs the hospital) knocked off the stairs near the temple and started constructing an approach road adjacent to it. While the temple’s wall was not impacted, the road was violative of the Supreme Court verdict, authorities said. But work on the road was stopped on March 22, 2012 when the state endowment department lodged a police complaint against its construction.

K N Jagannath, executive officer, endowment department who is incharge of the Bull Temple, explained the issue. “If the trust gets approval from the revenue department for conversion of the walkway into a lane for vehicles, we have no problem. The hospital is doing charitable service and the land also belongs to them as per records. But to change the usage, permission must be obtained from the government. Also, a recent Supreme Court order prohibits any fresh construction in the 300 metre surroundings of a heritage structure.”

The issue was first brought to notice of authorities by the member of Nirantara Janajagruthi Vedike, an NGO, T B Niranjana, who complained to the BBMP and endowment department. "Bull Temple is one of the heritage sites of the city. No infrastructure work can be taken up in a 100-metre radius around the temple. The road apart, the hospital itself has come up on the temple’s kalyani, which was a huge water body in the olden days. It’s a violation of rules," alleged Niranjana.

The trust however justified the need for the road. "The road under construction will help easy movement of ambulances from Bull Temple Road to the B S Narayana Memorial Hospital run by BMS Education Trust. As of now, we are using one of the sub-roads of NR Colony which is in battered condition and is difficult for patients. The new approach road is necessary," Col. Swamy, administrator officer, BMS Education Trust told STOI.

According to the trust, the land where the road is coming up has survey number CTS 617 that belongs to BMS College of Engineering. “In 1957, the trust bought this piece of land from the government. Since then we have been paying tax for this property. We have all property ownership documents with us. The same has been explained to the endowment department who also a conducted a survey recently. The survey report is yet to come out,” said Col. Swamy.

WHAT DOES RULE BOOK SAY?

As per Section 4, Karnataka Ancient Historical Monuments and Archaeological Site and Remains Act 1961, (Rule 7 of Karnataka 1962) where the state has already declared protected monuments or deemed monuments as heritage structures, construction is prohibited in a radius of 100 metre to 200 metre around them.

HISTORY OF TEMPLE