Route change of 2nd airport road leaves villagers' lives in disarray

As the government fast-tracks the alternative road to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA), the change in its alignment has resulted in several families being displaced twice in three years.

Four siblings in Mylanahalli - Appaiahyappa, Sriramappa, Kempanna and Krishnappa - first parted with their land for the airport and another piece of land and a house for the road to the airport. Later, the four built a new house with the compensation they received. But just as they were rebuilding their lives, the state government again issued them a notice for acquiring whatever they are left with.

Kempanna, a retired schoolteacher, told DH: "We built a new house after we were displaced. Now, the government says it wants this too for the changed alignment of the road.

"There is government land on the other side of the road, but the government insists it wants our land and has fixed a compensation of Rs 9.10 lakh per gunta. It is the only piece of land left with us. Where will we go?"

Kempanna's family is among the 100 affected by the new alignment.

Another villager Prakash said, "The government had earlier planned to lay the road through the village and acquired houses and land after offering transferable development rights (TDR) to owners. Soon after we built new houses on the outskirts of the village, we received notices after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visited the alternative road stretch in November 2016.

"The alignment of the road was shifted to the periphery of the village instead of through it. We will now lose our land and houses again. "The value of the land on the new alignment near Begur and surrounding areas is high and politicians and businessmen who had bought land here will get a higher compensation than what is offered to us," he said.

No jobs either

Villagers said that though the government promises jobs to the land losers, only 10% of them have got jobs at the airport.

Santhosh Kumar, a 24-year-old ITI diploma-holder, said that the KIA has overlooked his qualification and offered him a sweeper's job.

M Lakshminarayana, additional chief secretary, public works department, said all farmers have been given compensation and the three-lane road from Mylanahalli to the airport will be open to the public in 40 days.

Agriculture minister Krishna Byre Gowda, who represents the Byatarayanapura Assembly constituency under which this village falls, said the alignment was changed since the KIA objected to the second entry at Mylanahalli due to the presence of the runway.

Hence, the airport authorities and the Public Works Department have decided on an alternative entry from Begur, he said.