JOIN USNo State land for private parties, individuals
The Government land within the erstwhile Bangalore Mahanagara Palike area will not be allotted or leased out to any private organisation or individual, from henceforth.
The State Cabinet on Friday decided to make use of all Government land located in Bangalore City to provide infrastructure facilities and various services to people and do away with allotting or leasing them out to private organisations and individuals.
“There is hardly any Government land left in core Bangalore. So, the Cabinet decided to make use of all available land for providing facilities to people,” Minister Shobha Karandlaje said.
Besides, the Cabinet has set up a sub-committee headed by the chief secretary to take steps to protect the Government land.
Malleswaram market
Secretariat sources said, with this decision, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) proposal to construct a multi-storeyed complex under a public-private partnership in place of the existing Malleswaram market, has hit a road block.
At present, there are 272 shops in the market.
The Palike was contemplating to allow a private builder to construct a modern complex which can accommodate parking of 700 cars, besides renting out shops to the vendors who are now in the market.
The Palike was planning to lease out the market to a private builder for 30 years.
Rs 22 lakh annual rent
And, there was no financial commitment from the Palike’s side. At present the Palike is earning Rs 22 lakh per year, as rent from the shop owners.
“The Palike’s intention was to decongest Malleswaram by providing a good vehicle parking area. The Government allowed Maverick Holdings Investment Pvt Ltd to construct a residential quarters for weaker sections on a PPP model. But when it comes to Malleswaram, it is not ready to adopt the same approach”, official sources pointed out.
The sources also said that the Palike is starved of funds and it may not find sufficient funds for infrastructure projects or complexes. It would be ideal to go in for a PPP model to create infrastructure facilities in the capital.
Projects approved
With an eye on the forthcoming elections to the BBMP, the Cabinet approved a number of infrastructure projects for the City.
They include, construction of a flyover at Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle in
Padmanabhanagar at the cost of Rs 32 crore, a stadium at Govindrajnagar at the cost of Rs 13 crore and an indoor basketball stadium in Malleswaram at a cost of Rs 7.21 crore.