BDA plans to develop 11 layouts along PRR, runs into same old land acquisition hurdles

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) wants to develop 11 layouts along the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), or Bengaluru Business Corridor — five along PRR Phase 1 and six along Phase 2. However, landowners in these areas are already up in arms, opposing the proposed acquisition. Many farmers said they were awaiting the issuance of a preliminary notification by the BDA so they could challenge it before the Karnataka High Court.

The BDA has also reduced the carriageway of the PRR to 65 metres, while earmarking 35 metres along the corridor for commercial development. The layouts planned along the road are expected to accommodate the next wave of the city’s expansion. The five layouts proposed along PRR Phase 1 will span 30 villages, while the six layouts in Phase 2 will cover 20 villages.

Srinivas, a resident of Mavallipura — one of the villages to be affected by the layouts along PRR Phase 1 — said farmers were opposed to the acquisition of land for any layout in their village. “BDA has not even given proper compensation to land losers in Dr. K. Shivaram Karanth Layout. Most of the villages along PRR Phase 1 are well developed. BDA will find it tough to get even 100 acres of undeveloped land in these villages,” he said. 

Farmers’ leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said the BDA was acting more like a real estate broker than a government agency. “They want to acquire more land than is needed for the road and develop part of it commercially. Now they want to acquire more land and develop layouts, and give developed land as part of compensation packages to land losers for PRR. Let BDA take what it needs for the road. The farmers themselves will develop their lands, why should we give it to BDA?” he asked, adding, “BDA is yet to notify these layouts. Once they do, we will wage a legal battle”. 

Land pooling mooted 

To prevent another land acquisition quagmire, there has been a proposal to opt for a land pooling model for these layouts. Under such a scheme, no land is acquired by paying compensation, but landowners give up land parcels, and after development, the owners get the rest of their land back, but in a developed form. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have implemented this model. 

Urban infrastructure expert Ashwin Mahesh said that developing a road in a vacuum doesn’t provide any benefits. It should be accompanied by an area development plan, he said. “We are glad that BDA is thinking of developing these layouts along PRR. But the only way this can be done is through land pooling. But it has to be linked with the PRR itself. In the present model, the chances of a few landowners halting the PRR project are very high. BDA should ideally opt for land pooling for both PRR and layouts. That is the most feasible option,” he argued.

A senior official said that there was a proposal to go for land pooling to develop layouts along PRR. Under this scheme, owners will get nearly 19,000 sqft of developed land per acre, double of what BDA gives as a 40:60 compensation package now. “There is also a proposal to opt for larger plots and go for vertical growth in these apartments, rather than individual sites,” the official said.