BTC officials meet with Chief Minister

The State government had asked the BTC to move out of its current location on Race Course Road and allotted 95 acres land in the tank-bed area. After a series of discussions, the State government has agreed to the conduct of this season’s Winter races at the current venue, though the BTC has sought more time to get the infrastructure in place at the government-allocated area before shifting operations.

It may be recalled that a case had been filed in the Supreme Court against the allocation of tank-bed land by the State government, and the Supreme Court had referred the case back to the Karnataka High Court.

Thursday’s discussions centred around the modalities involved in signing the lease agreement for the Chikkajala-Doddajala land, though the exact terms haven’t yet crystallised, it is learnt.

It is also learnt that the BTC requested the government for a further 10 acres at Chikkajala-Doddajala. The authorities felt the need for more land for laying a 2000-metre track. “With the 85 acres of land allotted (apart from 10 acres for parking), BTC can build only an 1800-metre track,” sources revealed.

“The Race Course Road track is of 2000M. To lay a track of 2000M or more, we need at least 10 more acres. The Chief Minister has agreed orally and in principle to give us full support for building the new course.”