‘Fed up with corruption': Viral Bengaluru vs Australia homebuilding post sparks outrage
In the post, originally written in Kannada, a resident recounted how a friend in Bengaluru struggled for months to get approvals from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) despite completing all formalities and paperwork for constructing a house on his own site. The process, the post alleges, was riddled with delays and demands for bribes running into lakhs of rupees.
However, this claim could not be independently verified by HT.com.
(Also Read: Bengaluru metro yellow line: Trains to run from 5 am to 11 pm, but only every 25 minutes)
X/@Amara_Bengaluru
In contrast, the author claims another friend in Australia was able to purchase land, build a house, and move in, all within the same time frame. The post concludes with a biting critique of systemic corruption, 'We all have pride in our country and our city, but in reality, the corruption we face knows no end. The common people are fed up.'
The post quickly went viral, sparking a flood of angry and frustrated reactions from citizens, many of whom shared their own experiences navigating India's rigid, and often opaque, housing approval systems.
Citizens vent online
Responding to the post, one user wrote, 'Yes, there is a lot of corruption. If you try to fight back, they'll delay your file or find reasons to reject your application. Until the government takes strict action, there will be no accountability.'
Another pointed out the contrast in urban planning standards, saying, 'In Australia, if they own 4,000 sq ft, they build on only 2,000 sq ft as per rules. But here, even basic information like setbacks is unclear.'
A third user highlighted an ongoing issue with power connections in Bengaluru, noting, 'They've stopped issuing new electricity connections and meters for the last 2–3 months. Officials cite a Supreme Court order, but even thousands of industrial units ready to start production are unable to operate due to this.'
Several users pointed fingers at what they called "impractical bylaws" that require large setbacks, driving up construction costs and giving civic engineers leverage to demand bribes.
'They ask for a 5.4 ft setback in the front and 2–3 ft on other sides. It's a waste of space and money. Engineers use these confusing rules to scare people and demand huge money. Most government employees thrive on this fear,' one person wrote.
'It's us who elect such MLAs and MPs. If we want change, we must change first.'
The post has once again highlighted the frustration many urban residents face with red tape, outdated building bylaws, lack of transparency, and a growing perception of systemic corruption in civic governance.
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