Rs 40-crore land encroached on by builder cleared for suburban rail project in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: In a boost for the long-delayed Bengaluru Suburban Railway Project (BSRP), K-RIDE authorities have reclaimed Rs 40 crore worth of kharab land encroached on by a real-estate developer in the city's northwest. 

The 2,000 square metre, scattered over a half-kilometre area in survey number 2 between two Makala Channenahalli (Bengaluru North) and Peenya Plantation (Yelahanka) is required for Corridor 2, the 25.01-km Mallige Line (Baiyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara). 

"Bagmane Developers had encroached on kharab land adjoining railway land due to ambiguity about their boundaries. We have reclaimed it now," K-RIDE Special Deputy Commissioner Vasanthi Amar B V told DH. 

The enroachment was 4-5 metres in some places and 2-3 metres in others, she added. It was detected during a site inspection by the Assistant Directors of Land Records for Bengaluru North and Yelahanka. 

On September 20, Vasanthi, along with K-RIDE, revenue, railways and police officials, cleared the encroachment in the presence of Bagmane representatives, who were briefed beforehand.  

K-RIDE and railway officials then installed boundary stones, and the land was officially handed over to K-RIDE to commence construction, K-RIDE said in a statement. 

A senior railway officer said over 95% of railway land needed for Corridor 2 had been handed over to K-RIDE. Vasanthi confirmed this. 

The railway official said there was not much encroachment on railway land falling within Corridor 4 (Heelalige-Rajanukunte, 44.88 km). 

On Corridor 4, Vasanthi said 30% of land acquisition was complete and the rest would be completed in three months. 

"Many private buildings lie along the alignment. Building evaluations are underway," she added. 

South Western Railway General Manager Mukul Saran Mathur earlier told DH that efforts were underway to remove encroachments from leased railway land. 

The 149-km BSRP has stalled since July after L&T Limited terminated its civil contract for Corridors 2 and 4, and demanded Rs 505 crore in claims. 

In a legal notice, L&T stated that even 22 months after the Letter of Acceptance (LoA), only 12.83 km or 49.44% of the workfront was made available, that, too, in "unworkable fragmented stretches". 

As of August 25, overall progress on both corridors was 18.5%. The project's revised deadline is December 2028. 

Re-tendering

K-RIDE has now decided to re-tender both corridors, with the process expected to complete in a month or two, a source in the know said. 

A senior judge has also been appointed to arbitrate between K-RIDE and L&T. 

"There will be no negotiations. We want full justice for K-RIDE. Work cannot stop," the source added.