Amid disputes over the period of habitation at Fakeer Colony following the demolition, conflicting claims by residents and government agencies have brought the attention to when the settlements first came up, a factor that is key to rehabilitation and eligibility for housing.
While the residents claimed they had been living in the area for 15 to 20 years, authorities maintained that the habitations were recent encroachments on government land.
On Monday, the Bangalore Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML), which carried out the demolition, released satellite imagery from 2016 to 2025 to support its claim. According to the BSWML, the images show that structures near the Azaan Masjid area began appearing only around 2019 and expanded gradually in the following years. The agency said this pointed out to expanding encroachment rather than long-established habitation.
The residents disputed the claims, stating that satellite imagery does not adequately capture the evolution of informal settlements. They said initial shelters were often temporary in nature and may not be visible in aerial images.
What appears as expansion after 2019 could reflect the gradual replacement of older dwellings rather than new encroachments, they argued. To support their claims, the residents produced electricity bills, saying power connections had been provided years earlier.
They also argued that access to basic services indicated the presence of habitation before the period reflected in the satellite imagery. Families also said identity documents, ration cards and Aadhaar-linked addresses showed longer residence in the area than what was claimed by the government agencies.
Meanwhile, on Monday, a team from the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission visited the site.
Published – December 29, 2025 10:21 pm IST
