The crane reverses a bit and crashes into a four-storied college building. Its jaws sink into a window, shattering the glasses.
Two more bangs and the building is on the ground. Firemen spray water on the building so that the neighbours are not troubled by the billowing dust.
A few hours later, the patch is cleared, fenced, and a board is fixed: BDA Property.
That is the fate 719 structures have met with in Bangalore, after Jayakar Jerome took over the reins of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) two-and-half-a-years ago.
Since its first demolition in January 2000 of 85 structures at the BTM Layout, the BDA has recovered 90 acres, worth Rs 300 crore. Prior to this, there was no case of demolition of illegal structures in Bangalore.
