JOIN USThe BBMP will not dole out monetary compensation to people who part with their properties for the widening of Sarjapur Road in southern Bengaluru.
The decision was taken after Bengaluru Development Minister K J George held a meeting with property owners on Monday.
"We will issue Transferable Development Rights (TDRs), not monetary compensation, to property owners," BBMP Commissioner N Manjunath Prasad said.
The BBMP is planning to build a six-lane road along with a service road from the Outer Ring Road to the Iblur junction. It intends to acquire 320 properties spread over 2.5 acres.
Property owners, however, want monetary compensation. The meeting was held as some of them complained that the BBMP hadn't consulted them before taking up the project.
'No social impact study'
B V Ramachandra Reddy, of the Committee Against Harassment of Owners in Sarjapur Road Widening Project, claimed the BBMP is planning a social impact survey to find out how many families will be affected by the project. But Prasad denied conducting such a survey.
"It's not necessary to conduct a survey on this road," he asserted.
50 families to be hit
Reddy argues that the survey was important as 50 families would be affected. Thirty of them might become homeless while the rest would lose their livelihood.
As many as 113 out of 248 property owners have raised objections to the TDR, he said. "One of my relatives was compensated Rs 16,000 per square foot for parting with his property for the metro line on Hosur Road. Why can't the BBMP do the same here? Land prices on Sarjapur Road are higher because the locality is more developed and has better facilities," Reddy said.
Reddy accused the civic body of inviting tenders for the projects in May 2017, two months before issuing notices to property owners.
"This is unfair. If the BBMP does not agree to give us monetary compensation and goes ahead with the project, we will approach the court and get a stay," he added.