BBMP eyes IIM-B land for road widening

The Palike is all set to acquire a portion of the IIM-B campus and demolish its compound wall in tune with its revived project to widen Bannerghatta Road over a 7.2-km stretch from the Outer Ring Road.

The institute’s compound wall comes in the way of widening the existing 25-30 metre- wide Bannerghatta Road, which is to be expanded to a 45-metre stretch. It will result in the loss of about 2,800 sq metres of IIM-B property.

Sources in the BBMP say there have already been two rounds of discussions with the IIM-B authorities over the last one year but nothing concrete came out of the meeting.
“The talks have been going on with the IIM-B, but we are looking at a long haul as there is quite a lot of resistance which may take some time to clear,” said the source.

BBMP officials claim that IIM-B had given an oral, in-principle approval for parting with the land. After the final approval, the Palike will demolish the IIM-B compound wall and acquire the land after building an inner compound wall for the institute.

However, speaking to Deccan Herald, IIM-B Director, Pankaj Chandra said the institute had requested the BBMP not to take up the project, if it involved demolition of a ‘part of their campus’.

“We did receive a notice from the BBMP for the roadwidening project and had at that point requested them not to demolish the property. It is going to create problemS for us if they do go ahead with the project,” he said, adding they would  take a final decision, if and when the Palike approached them.

There is likely to be widespread opposition to the BBMP if it goes ahead with the project.
According to sources, as many as 880 properties, mostly commercial spaces, along the 7.2-km stretch could also be demolished for the road-widening project.

Sources say that notices for acquisition of these properties were being issued, albeit intermittently, to the owners over the past one-and-a-half years. The project was taken up by the BBMP twice earlier, but was shelved due to widespread agitation against it.