Govt rejects 28-year stay claim in Kogilu Layout, cites satellite evidence in Court

Karnataka government tells High Court that satellite data proves houses in Fakir and Wasim colonies were recent constructions on government land.

The Karnataka government on January 7 informed the High Court of Karnataka that it possesses satellite imagery clearly showing when houses were constructed in the illegally formed Fakir and Wasim colonies at Kogilu Layout in north Bengaluru. The submission directly counters claims by displaced residents that they had been living there for nearly 28 years.

State Advocate General K. Shashi Kiran Shetty made these submissions before a division bench comprising Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice C.M. Poonacha. The bench was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Zaiba Tabassum (28), Rehana (25), and Areefa Begum (49), who were among those evicted after the demolition of houses in the two colonies.

When the court noted the petitioners’ assertion of long-term residence, the Advocate General said the claim was “factually incorrect.” He told the bench that satellite images available with the government clearly establish that the demolished houses were constructed only recently on government land.

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Rejecting allegations that the evictions were carried out without following due process or Supreme Court guidelines, the Advocate General said those guidelines did not apply to the present case. He explained that the land in question was not a notified slum, but a former quarry site that was later used as a landfill for Bengaluru’s garbage.

The court also sought clarification on rehabilitation for displaced families. The Advocate General said affected families were currently housed in temporary rehabilitation centres across three different locations, pending further court orders.

Responding to concerns raised by the petitioners’ counsel that around 300 families, comprising nearly 3,000 people, were in need of food and blankets, the government said meals were being provided through Indira Canteens. It also assured the court that other basic amenities would be arranged.

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The bench adjourned the matter to January 22, directing the state government to file its detailed response within a week. Petitioners were also asked to submit their reply after reviewing the government’s response.

In their petition, the displaced residents have sought a declaration that the demolition carried out on December 20, 2025, was illegal. They have asked the court to direct the government to either rebuild houses on the same land or provide equivalent alternative housing. The petitioners have also sought a comprehensive survey of all affected families, determination of rehabilitation eligibility, and compensation for losses suffered.

On December 20, 2025, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) had demolished several houses on the former quarry land. Authorities claimed the land had been encroached upon by anti-social elements, who allegedly allowed families to occupy the site by issuing informal documents.

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