Jayamahal Road widening in a knot

The Palike is still struggling to get the land-swap deal approved by its Taxation and Finance Committee, even a year after tenders were floated.

The BBMP, which had approached the Air Force Head Quarters Training Command to part with one acre of their land for the project, had signed a deal, as a part of which the Palike was to construct an auditorium, swimming pool and provide lighting at the mini golf course for the Air Command.

Following the deal, the BBMP had constructed a retaining wall for the Air Force along the Jayamahal Road. However, the project came to a standstill with the Palike unable to meet the conditions of the agreement, and the Air Command put a halt to the land swap.

The BBMP elections last April and the rise of a political leadership at the Palike put the project and the land swap in cold storage.

According to Palike sources, with no allocations in the BBMP Budget 2010-11 for the land swap, the matter was referred to the Taxation and Finance Standing Committee for its approval. “Now, the project is locked in a stalemate as it has not elicited any response from the Committee,” informed a BBMP source.

It was learnt that the subject was raised at the recent committee meeting and a response is expected in the next few days. The Jayamahal and Bellary Road road-widening have both hit the same roadblock over the last year with the BBMP in possession of only the Palace Grounds land, measuring 16 acres, for the project.