Palike gets defence land, all clear for rail bridge work

Another major hitch in completing the rail overbridge (ROB) at Baiyappanahalli has been cleared with the state government giving its nod to the BBMP for exchanging its park land near Halasuru lake with the defence establishment.

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) wanted 9,991 sq mtrs of land belonging to the Madras Engineer Group (MEG). The defence establishment, in return, wanted land equal to the guidance value of its property. Even before the BBMP could suggest any alternative land, the defence officials asked them to part with the Kensington Park near Halasuru Lake.

Already, half of the park land has been given to the MEG on lease. The lease period was due for renewal when defence officials proposed to hand over the entire land in exchange for their land in Baiyappanahalli. Talks for the exchange of land were going on for years but there was no breakthrough.

It was only recently when Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar held a joint meeting with the state government, BBMP and the defence officials that a number of proposals were made including the demand for land at Baiyappanahalli. The Union Minister helped in breaking the ice between the BBMP and the defence establishment, who were at loggerheads in some cases like Modi Garden Alternative Road and permission for the continuation of JC Nagar Government School.

The government in its July 14 order gave permission to exchange the land based on a fresh resolution passed by the BBMP Council. The BBMP Council is shortly going to pass another resolution pertaining to 22 proposals for exchange of land between the BBMP, state government and the defence establishment.

A senior Palike engineer said, “We require the defence land for eight of our projects on a priority basis.”

These projects are widening and upgradation of Subroto Mukherjee Road, widening of Lashkar-Hosur Road, Ejipura Inner Ring Road, connectivity road from Ballari Road to Sanjeevini Nagar and AMCO Layout, Modi Garden alternative road, elevated corridor on inner ring road, Koramangala and road use in Kaval Byrasandra-Modi Garden and Bangagiri Nagar.