MG Road boulevard to open today

The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) will officially throw open the transformed boulevard — the Rangoli Art Centre on the MG Road on Monday.
However, the controversy over the ownership of the land on which the Centre has come up, is yet to settle down.

With the investigation launched by the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Siddaiah yet to reach a logical end, the BMRCL’s claim that the land was given to it by the State government remains to be challenged legally.

Last month, Siddaiah said the land belonged to the Palike and that the BMRCL had not acquired it at any point. He added that BMRCL had neither entered into an agreement with the Palike nor had sought any permission for commercial activity there. BMRCL Managing Director N Sivasailam had, however, claimed that there was no need for any such permission as the government had given the rights to possess and use the land.

Sources in the Palike said that the investigation could not be carried out effectively as officials were deputed for election duties and that “the truth will prevail once the investigation is complete.” Sources in the BMRCL said that though the Centre would be open for public on Monday, the first exhibition and a few other programmes were scheduled for Thursday.