Site allotment in the third phase of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout will not happen this year. The government was keen to announce the third phase in the upcoming budget and the proposal was discussed in the recent pre-budget meeting. However, the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) has reportedly said it is not possible.
“We have now decided to first provide basic civic amenities before allotting sites in the layout,” said G.C. Prakash, Commissioner, BDA. The BDA has recently sought an extension to complete civic works in the first two phases of the layout by December 2021, leaving many site owners in the lurch. “There is a fund crunch,” said Mr. Prakash.
A recent apex order has now forced the BDA to take up development of Dr. K. Shivarama Karanth Layout as well, sources in the BDA said.
Increasing revenue
Addressing the issue of fund crunch, the BDA is seeking to shore up its revenues by regularising encroachments – around 3,700 acres – on lands it had notified in 68 layouts in return for a development fee.
This is expected to bring in around ₹5,000 crore. A cabinet sub-committee has been formed to examine the proposal.
Legal hurdles and land acquisition is also posing a problem. According to sources in the BDA, of the 4,043 acres notified for the Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, the authority has been able to acquire only around 2,400 acres in which two phases have been developed. Of the remaining 1,643 acres, owners of over 800 acres have challenged acquisition of their land in courts.
BDA’s focus
Another chunk of land has been taken up for laying an arterial road cutting across the layout and for provision of other amenities.
“A meeting was held recently to review the situation, and measures have been initiated to clear the legal hurdles,” said a senior BDA official.
The BDA’s focus, for now, is to take up work on the Peripheral Ring Road, which has been pending for decades, but is expected to get a shot in the arm in the upcoming State budget.
To date, 9,971 sites have been allotted to fresh applicants, 5,957 sites to farmers whose lands were acquired for the layout, 849 sites to allottees of Arkavathy Layout who lost their sites during the re-do scheme, and 1,650 sites to those who gave up their land for infrastructure projects.
