BDA to study feasibility on parallel road to NICE corridor

Bengaluru: Even as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is struggling to build a 71-km peripheral ring road (PRR) project, it has taken up one more project that aims to complete the circle around Bengaluru by building a parallel road to the NICE corridor. Earlier this week, the BDA invited bids from consultants for the preparation of a detailed project report (DPR). 

Totalling about 40 km, the second phase of PRR aims to connect Mysuru and Hosur roads via Bannerghatta and Kanakapura roads. This stretch along with the first phase of PRR were notified for land acquisition around the same time in 2006-07 but both the proposals remained on the drawing board as the government did not have enough funds to pay for land losers. 

While the BDA now wants to take up the first phase entirely under public private partnership (PPP), it has estimated the second phase to cost Rs 1,589 crore. 

In 2006, the BDA notified 2,700 acres for the PRR’s Phase II (51 km). In its report to the court, the BDA stated that many illegal constructions have come up on the notified land, particularly in Gottigere, Basavanapura and Pillaganahalli. However, landowners say they cannot legally utilise their properties because they have been notified to build the PRR whose alignment is mentioned in the Revised Master Plan 2015. 

While some say the PRR's Phase II is redundant because NICE Road (41 km) runs parallel to it in the south and southwestern parts of the city, others believe the PRR will help commuters heading to Electronics City and it's also in line with the government’s plan to make Bidadi an alternative city to Bengaluru.