Deputy CM D K Shivakumar calls crucial meeting to decide action on 45-acre Hebbal land

Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has convened a high-level meeting on Monday morning to deliberate the future of a 45-acre land in Hebbal, sought by Namma Metro for the development of a multi-modal transport hub and two metro stations.

This will be the third such meeting in eight months and will include Minister for Commerce and Industries MB Patil, along with senior government officials.

Over a year ago, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) submitted a formal request for the land, which is currently under the control of the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB). The BMRCL had proposed compensating affected landowners as per the latest land acquisition norms. However, delays in transferring the land have significantly stalled progress on the metro project.

Sources said that BMRCL Managing Director Maheshwar Rao has faced mounting pressure to scale down the land acquisition request.

The complication stems from the fact that the land was originally acquired for a private developer, who failed to compensate landowners for the past 20 years. Despite this, the previous BJP-led government extended the private party’s agreement by three years, just ahead of the 2023 Assembly elections. This renewed agreement is set to lapse in March 2026.

Unlike the private entity, Namma Metro has committed to paying Rs 12.10 crore per acre, amounting to a total compensation of Rs 551.15 crore. In addition to constructing three metro lines that will intersect at Hebbal, BMRCL also plans to build a stabling line at the site.

Meanwhile, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has expressed interest in acquiring a portion of the land to facilitate access to its upcoming tunnel project.