International stadium at Varthur stuck in land dispute

A proposal to build an international stadium at Gunjur Palya near Varthur is stuck in a land dispute between revenue and forest departments.

The forest department is asking the revenue department to hand over a patch of land at Gunjur Palya in Southeast Bengaluru, while the revenue department has allocated the land for government and private projects.

Mahadevapura MLA Aravind Limbavali said while the forest department is objecting the move made by the revenue department with an intention to protect trees, the latter has records to prove the land belongs to it.

Gunjur Palya forest lies between Gunjur and Panathur villages in KR Puram taluk.

“The forest is a deemed one and is not a notified forest. It is currently under the jurisdiction of the forest department. We have raised Acacia Auriculiformis and other plants that have turned into a dense forest,” said Dipika Bajpai, Deputy Conservator of Forests (Urban Division). “The grants made by the revenue department are illegal and violate the Forest Conservation Act,1980.”

The state government has assigned funds during the last state budget for the stadium. About 27 acres of land has been reserved for the construction of a stadium in the forest area. “No detailed project report has been made yet, regarding the construction of the stadium. Only land has been reserved but that is under dispute now,” said Limbavali.

“Gunjur Palya was selected as a periphery road is going to come up in future, providing connectivity to Bengaluru airport,” said Limbavali. He also said the funds granted by the government for the stadium were not enough.