Bengaluru: Koramangala BDA Complex, the first landmark of the locality before it gained fame as the startup hub, is all set to be demolished soon to pave way for a swanky structure. On Tuesday, the South Western Railway (SWR) shut down their computerised passenger reservation centre at the complex.For the many e-service, stationary and stamp shops located along the complex’s ground floor, the closure means even less business. Inaugurated in 1984, the complex had housed multiple govt offices including the Road Transport Office (RTO) along with the sub-registrar office which is the only one currently working. Spread over 16,900 sq mtrs, the complex has around 110 shops and was one of the most prominent outings for families in Bengaluru before the advent of malls.The demolition is part of Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) plan, aimed at turning loss-making public assets into modern commercial hubs. The initial tender was floated eight years ago in 2018 to hand over seven of its ageing commercial complexes for redevelopment under a public-private partnership (PPP) model.Being taken up under a 30-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, developers will build, operate, and maintain the new complexes before handing them back to BDA. The consortium — comprising MFAR Construction Pvt Ltd, KK Builders, and ADD Reality Ltd — has been allotted the complex.Shopkeepers at the complex say that even the sub-registrar office will get shifted shortly, punching a hole into their already declining incomes. They say almost 500 families are solely dependent on the complex for their survival.New location lacks facilities: ShopkeepersIn a letter to the inspector general of registration and the commissioner of stamps last month, the shopkeepers had pointed out that in the new sub-registrar office there will be no parking or space for the public to stand, sit, wait or any civic amenities. “The new location has no space facility for the public to get any paper letters computerised and uploaded online and scanned. Moreover the rent here is significantly higher than the current one”, the letter read.“They have already identified a new site almost a kilometre away from here and we expect them to move away in less than a month. Once they go back I feel our services are no longer required for the public”, said V Dhanapala, who runs an e-stamp center inside the complex.According to Dhanapala, the current location of the sub-registrar office enables the public to take printouts, draft agreements, fill forms, buy stationary and even park their vehicles all in one place. “Everyone coming to one of these govt offices would require our services at least to take a xerox. Once these offices are shifted, this is almost cut off”, he added.Similarly, Nadeem Arshad has been depending on his shop here for more than 15 years for his livelihood. Initially he joined the shop for part time work. “I grew up around this complex, from my schooling days, since I was 15 I’ve been working here part time. I acquired this shop from the owner and till day it has been my life,” he said.Concerned about the potential demolition, he said there is not much hope to save his livelihood. “When I was young, the entire area used to be bustling with people rushing around to get their documents sorted,” Nadeem recalled.For Narasimha Murthy, the future seems bleak, his wife works along with him in the shop which is the family’s only lifeline. “I’m now 50, we have three children who are yet to be employed, business has already seen a 50% drop. With the closure of the sub-registrar office, I actually do not know what to do”, he lamented.“Some of the typists here have been working since the typewriter era, It’s not just the issue of shop owners or income. Where will the typists go, it’s about hundreds of lives”, said AS Narayana Reddy, an advocate.
