JOIN USBDA invites bids for Kempegowda Layout formation
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has called for tenders for the formation of Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout on 4,000 acre in City by ignoring the fact that nearly 60 per cent of notified land is either under litigation or lacks permission for carrying out civil works.
The BDA’s ambitious project to create 10,000 sites, flats and apartments is enmeshed in controversies — from allegations of denotification to delay in starting the project.
BDA failed to take possession of the entire 4,043 acres for want of permission. According to documents released to BDA Welfare Association under RTI, the Land Acquisition department on January 7 stated that permission was not granted to acquire 2,574 acre and 9 guntas of land in the 12 villages notified for layout development.
The reason being 683 cases of litigations involving government land, revenue sites and individual cases have proved a stumbling block for awarding any compensation.
According to figures procured from Land Acquisition department, the BDA, which issued a final notification on February 18, 2010 for acquisition of 4,043 acre and 27 guntas, till January 2013 has been able to hand over only 1,469 acre and 8 guntas permission to the technical department for the formation of the layout. Close to 1,043 acre of land has been embroiled in writ petitions, disputing its acquisition at the High Court.
However, according to documents with Deccan Herald, on December 4, 2012, the BDA, despite no control over 60 per cent of the land, called for tenders for formation of the layout, “inviting financial bids” to road formation, laying sanitary pipes and electrical works in 12 villages in Bangalore South Taluk, Kengeri Hobli. The total estimate of tender is placed at Rs 2,500 crore.
RTI activist, B M Shivakumar claimed that the BDA top brass, to appease the State Government and to fund the poll campaign has pushed the tenders.
Fearing another controversy over formation of layouts, BDA Welfare Association, which has written several letters to chairman and commissioner of BDA urging them to desist from taking up the project, has threatened to go to the High Court if BDA persists with its plan.
Under dispute
* Land involved in cases in Writ Petitions: 1,043 acres and 9 guntas
* Government Land involved in cases: 195 acres and 11 guntas
* Revenue sites involved in cases: 306 acres and 34 guntas
* Awards to be approved for want of records: 1,028 acres and 35 guntas