The Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout in Bengaluru is inching closer to becoming fully habitable as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) ramps up development activity. However, a significant gap between completed construction and ready-to-live infrastructure is causing concern among future residents. While the BDA chairman states that 78% of the work is finished, with the remainder expected in 5–6 months, residents point to a lack of basic amenities that is preventing them from moving in.
Core Infrastructure Still Missing
Despite progress in land acquisition and construction, the layout currently lacks the fundamental services required for daily living. Residents have confirmed that electricity, water, and sanitation connections are still unavailable. This absence of basic public utilities is the primary reason people are hesitant to occupy their properties or put them up for rent. The assurance of these services is seen as a non-negotiable prerequisite for habitation.
Furthermore, the road network remains incomplete. A crucial 60-foot-wide road connecting III Block A Sector to the major 300-foot-wide arterial road is yet to be finished. Compounding the issue is reported encroachment along this road, adjacent to a storm-water-drain buffer, which is obstructing access for construction vehicles and delivery of materials.
Planning Flaws and Safety Concerns
Beyond missing utilities, residents have identified several design and planning shortcomings that could impact safety and livability in the long term. A major point of contention is the complete absence of designated footpaths across many areas of the layout. This oversight is expected to force an unhealthy dependence on vehicles for even short trips, potentially increasing congestion and pollution.
Alarmingly, in some places, utility ducts have been passed off as pedestrian pathways. Residents warn that when these duct slabs are eventually removed for maintenance work, pedestrians will be left with no safe walking space, exposing a critical flaw in the layout's planning. Additionally, the existing plantation and landscaping plan has been criticized as impractical and poorly thought out, with calls for a revised plan to ensure adequate shade, safety, and environmental sustainability.
Legal Risks and Future Disputes
A more serious issue that could lead to protracted legal battles is the concern over faulty boundary markings. Residents believe mistakes were made during the survey, with suspicions that some buildings may extend into neighboring plots. They fear that once construction and occupation increase, these errors in survey data could spark numerous ownership disputes and litigation among property owners.
In response to these grievances, the BDA chairman has acknowledged the concerns and classified most issues as minor technical problems. He has promised that the authority will address all the points raised by residents. The focus now is on whether the promised fixes over the next five to six months will comprehensively resolve the infrastructure deficit and transform the layout from a construction zone into a truly livable community.
