Defence ministry again puts rider on land to BBMP

With the growing need to address the expansion of City limits, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike had been in constant negotiations with the Ministry of Defence over the past four years for acquiring 55 acres from its land bank.

The Defence Ministry has now agreed to part with the 55 acres but at a price. According to government officials, the armed forces have been asking the State government and the BBMP to give them alternative land of the same measurement within the city limits, or 150 acres outside it, for their future expansion plans.

After two rounds of failed talks between the government and the armed forces, a third round of discussions is set to commence to “resolve” the issue. 

Sources in the revenue department said that in the coming week, the government representatives and the armed forces, in particular, the Karnataka and Kerala Command personnel, will hold a meeting to discuss the possible alternatives for parting with their land in the heart of the city.

“A meeting will be called in the coming days to ensure some outcome for the BBMP to continue with it development projects,” said revenue department principal secretary V Madhu.

While the armed forces have confirmed they would part with land for road-widening and other infrastructure projects of the Palike, they are yet to get any confirmation on whether the government would indeed give them 150 acres on the city outskirts.

Ball in State court

“There is no question of getting 55 acres within the core city limits, because there is none. Now, it is up to the State to grant the land sought by the defence personnel,” said a Palike source.

According to the revenue department sources, it appears that a combination of land, money and housing may be offered to the armed forces in return for the defence land.

“We may look at options like the one given to the armed forces earlier when they parted with 100 acres of their land for Metro construction,” said another revenue department official.

Earlier, the government had given a combination of 35 acres of prime land in Indiranagar, apart from housing in the Karnataka Housing Board projects, and Rs 1.2 crore in monetary benefit.

It is said that Shanthinagar MLA, N A Harris, has been pushing for a speedy decision on the deadlock, as most projects that need defence land for the BBMP development projects come under his constituency.