BDA to start consultations with land losers of PRR project over next two days

Bengaluru: From Monday, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) will meet land losers to decide compensation for the 74-km Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC), which needs about 2,560 acres.

Eight committees, each led by a land acquisition officer, will hold consultations with affected landowners at 18 locations over two days.

The BBC, also called the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), is a 20-year-old project aimed at partially encircling the city by linking Hosur Road and Tumakuru Road. Meetings are planned at Yelahanka mini Vidhana Soudha, Varthur nada kacheri, Huskur revenue office, Bylakere gram panchayat, Avalahalli government primary school, and Kadugodi BBMP office, among others.

While most agencies compensate under the Centre’s 2013 Land Acquisition Act, the BDA is using its 1976 act, as it is a 20-year-old project. Landowners, however, oppose the offer, saying the market value is about Rs 15 crore per acre, compared to the BDA’s offer of less than Rs 8 crore.

To break the deadlock, the government formed eight price-fixation committees to propose a ‘consent award’ after hearing objections. Their report will go to the government before the final rates are fixed.

Despite initial optimism after Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO) offered financial support, the Congress-led government has not finalised compensation in more than two years in power.

Ahead of the talks, many landowners met on Sunday, demanding the project be dropped if compensation is not based on market value and the 2013 Act. They said the BDA should have disclosed the rates for each village before the meetings.