In the aftermath of a fire at a paying guest (PG) accommodation in Kundalahalli that killed one person, the neighbourhood’s residents say that tragedy could have been avoided had civic authorities acted on a demolition order issued in March 2023.
Residents told TNM that they had pointed out building violations as far back as 2021. They also allege that violations of building codes are rampant in eastern Bengaluru.
A commercial LPG cylinder exploded in the kitchen area at the Seven Hills Sai Co-Living PG on December 26, 2025, triggering a fire that killed 23-year-old software engineer Aravind, a native of Ballari who was working in Bengaluru, and left three others injured.
The fire at the seven-storey building damaged adjacent buildings as well. The HAL police have reportedly registered an FIR against the building owner and the manager, Vishnuvardhan Reddy, of Andhra Pradesh, invoking charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Residents of Kundalahalli and surrounding areas that TNM reached out to are both angry and distressed.
Charles (name changed), a resident of Brookfield Layout and a member of the Brookfield Resident Welfare Association (RWA) who lives close to the Seven Hills PG, said that he first realised that the PG did not have the requisite permissions when construction began in 2021.
“There was zero setback. When the construction of the first floor began, we asked the contractor to display the plan approval. Even after we reached out to Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), we did not get the documents. The Brookfield Layout RWA then filed the first complaint in 2021. The BBMP issued a letter to the owner but he did not respond,” Richard said.
Arvind Mohan, a software engineering manager and resident of Whitefield, said that the BBMP regulations and the Revised Master Plan of 2015 did not permit construction of more than two floors in that area.
Finally, the residents went to court, which resulted in the BBMP issuing a demolition order dated March 15, 2023. The order said that the owner of the building, Vishnuvardhan Reddy, “had not obtained a sanctioned plan by BBMP for the construction of a multi-storeyed building”.
The order also said that despite several notices and reminders in 2022, the owner had not removed the unauthorised portion of the building. The order then directed the Assistant Executive Engineer of the Hoody BBMP subdivision to remove the unauthorised portions.
However, Richard alleged that despite the order, BBMP officials did not act on it.
“The BBMP officials of ward 85 in Mahadevapura said they can’t take action, claiming that there was a case in the court and that they did not know who would pay for the demolition. They gave childish answers,” Richard said.
Arvind pointed out that Seven Hills PG was merely the tip of the iceberg. “There have been several illegal buildings operating since 2019. We have given multiple written complaints to officials. There were many ward meetings as well to discuss this,” Arvind said.
Activist Sandeep Anirudhan alleged illegal construction of PG accommodations at an “enormous scale” in densely packed neighbourhoods such as Prashanth Layout in Whitefield.
Most PGs in the area function out of unauthorised buildings, Sandeep further alleged. “Either these structures do not have approved building plans, or permissions are taken for small residential buildings and later converted into six- to eight-storey commercial establishments,” he said.
He pointed out that illegal PGs and rental buildings typically lack mandatory setbacks, encroach on public roads, and fail to meet basic fire safety requirements. He alleged that officials had failed to act despite clear legal provisions and court orders, calling it a case of “systemic dereliction of duty”.
“Any building above 15 metres requires fire department clearance, but such approvals are rarely sought. With zero setbacks, fire engines cannot access these buildings during emergencies. If a fire breaks out in one building, it could quickly spread across the entire layout. We are sitting on a ticking time bomb,” he warned.
The activist further noted that unchecked construction has led to severe strain on civic infrastructure. “Each illegal building increases the population density by 25 to 50 times. Areas meant for a few families now house hundreds of residents, resulting in sewage overflows, power shortages, and the mushrooming of illegal commercial establishments in residential zones,” he added.