In less than 25 years, Bengaluru will be home to 20.3 million people, which the proposed Revised Master Plan – 2031 says will be absorbed in five self-sustained special development zones. These “work, home, play townships” will be developed by the BDA on the city’s outskirts. To date, however, neither the development authority nor the State government has proof of concept that it can build such a township. Two such projects that the government has been talking about – a mega 9,800 acres township in Bidadi and a mini 166 acres township in Konadasapura – have failed to take off.
The Bidadi project, billed to decongest the city, was proposed in 2006. BMRDA has now roped in Wapcos, a Union government firm, as a consultant to prepare the DPR, which is expected to be ready in three months. The project, however, is grounded as the government needs to acquire 9,800 acres of fertile land, but is unable to meet the cash compensation that farmers are demanding.
Metropolitan Commissioner B.S. Shekharappa is optimistic of convincing land owners to pool land, like in Amaravati, and finding a private investor. The investor will be chosen on the basis of who will seek the least amount of land for private development in the project, sources said.
There were proposals to develop five work-home-play townships with focus on specific industries all connected by a Satellite Town Ring Road (STRR). The proposal was made in 2012 when the BJP was in power in the State.
However, while BMRDA still wants to develop STRR, the township proposals have fallen by the way.
In 2017, the Urban Development Department proposed to develop another township in KGF on 12,000 acres held by the defunct Bharat Gold Mines Ltd. However, the project has failed to take off.
The BDA had been struggling for two years now to build a relatively small township on 166 acres it owns in Konadasapura. It couldn’t find bidders for a consultant to plan the city. Now, it has decided to build a mega group-housing project with 2,464 flats, more than half of them luxury 3 BHK flats on 27 acres.
B.L. Ravindra Babu, Engineering Member in-charge, BDA, said they are yet to zero in on the financial model for the project, but went ahead with developing the residential component as that is BDA’s forte.
Industry insiders said private builders would be weary of investing in a township where the lucrative housing segment is already exploited.
While bureaucrats attribute the failure to develop townships to the lack of political will, industry insiders say government agencies should exit the development sector.
“It is strange how BDA thinks the entire growth in population will be absorbed by these proposed townships on the city’s outskirts when there is no proof of concept and water-transport and social infrastructure for them,” said V. Ravichandar, member, BBMP Restructuring Committee.
