Bengaluru civic bodies to clean vacant plots, recover costs from owners through property tax

The Bengaluru civic administration will launch a citywide drive to clean vacant plots, with Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda directing the five city corporations to identify neglected plots, issue notices to owners and recover cleaning costs by adding to the annual property taxes if owners fail to comply.

Reviewing the drive at a virtual meeting on Monday, Byre Gowda said plot owners had been given until August 22 to clean their properties. However, compliance in some areas was only around 20%, prompting the civic bodies to take direct action.

“Cleaning of vacant plots cannot be left to chance. The civic bodies must now identify the plots, serve notices and ensure that they are cleaned,” the minister said.


He directed the revenue officials to prepare lists of plots requiring cleaning. Marshals and Junior Health Inspectors will serve notices, after which the respective civic bodies will undertake the work where owners do not comply.

The five city corporations have been directed to begin the drive from Thursday, with the operation to be intensified from Monday.

Geo-tagged proof mandatory

The corporations have been asked to mobilise JCBs, tippers, tractors and manpower and identify agencies that can be deployed for the work.

To improve accountability, before-and-after geo-tagged video documentation will be mandatory for every plot cleaned by civic authorities. Contractor payments will be released only against such evidence, the minister said.

The move comes amid recurring concerns over vacant plots being used for dumping waste and becoming sources of public health and sanitation problems in Bengaluru.

Byre Gowda also directed officials to ensure that debris and waste removed from the plots are transported only to authorised disposal sites and not dumped on roadsides or other vacant land.

Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited has been asked to track the entire process—from identification and cleaning to waste collection and disposal—through the ‘Clear It’ software.

Citizens to flag uncleared plots

The minister also directed officials to add a feature to the ‘Clear It’ app allowing residents to report vacant plots that remain uncleared.

The facility is intended to supplement the civic bodies’ inspection process by allowing citizens to flag locations requiring action.

Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao, the five city corporation commissioners, Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited CEO Kari Gowda and senior officials from the civic bodies participated in the meeting.