Road widening: Metro spent Rs 1,754 cr to acquire properties in B'luru

Ongoing metro work on Bannerghatta Road. DH PHOTO/M S MANJUNATH

Namma Metro has spent a staggering Rs 1,754 crore on acquiring properties to widen roads and an additional Rs 82.89 crore to shift power utilities.

These extra works were carried out to provide the right of way (RoW) for constructing metro lines and stations, according to officials. The BMRCL plans to transfer these roads to the civic body for maintenance.

Phase II cost Namma Metro significantly, with Rs 1,483 crore spent on road widening alone. Some of the roads widened include Bannerghatta Road (Dairy Circle to Gottigere), Whitefield Main Road (up to Mahadevapura Metro Station), Tin Factory Junction, and Hosur Road (Silk Board Jn to Bommasandra).

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Overall, Namma Metro procured 1,691 properties to build 1.76 lakh square metres of new roads. On average, it spent Rs 9,000 per square foot of land acquired.

However, the expense for shifting electrical utilities was low. It obtained 261 properties spread over 8,756 square metres and spent Rs 82.29 crore compensating landowners.

"Roads widened in Phases I and II (Reach 1, 2, and 4 extensions) have already been handed over to the BBMP for maintenance. Since the properties acquired for road widening have been fully utilized for road formation, these lands will no longer be properties of the BMRCL. There is no need to consider them as land assets of the BMRCL," an official said.

Namma Metro also intends to transfer roads widened for Reaches 5 and 6 under Phases 2 and 2B after the work is completed.