Karnataka Cabinet clears land acquisition formula for Bengaluru Business Corridor

Although this project was notified in 2005-06, DyCM DK Shivakumar said successive governments had failed to take it up due to the huge land acquisition cost.

Bengaluru: The State Cabinet on Thursday approved five compensation options that will be offered to owners whose lands are notified for the 74-km Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC) project, from Tumakuru Road to Hosur Road.

Announcing the same on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the project would be completed in two years, an ambitious target. 

The options are: 35% of commercial sites, 40% of residential sites based on the total extent of land relinquished by the property owner, Transferrable Development Rights (TDR), additional Floor Area Area (FAR) — linked to allowing extra floors on top of what’s permissible, and cash compensation. 

“Of the five options, landowners can choose anyone,” Shivakumar told reporters after the Cabinet meeting.

Although the project was notified in 2005-06, he said successive governments had failed to take it up due to the huge land acquisition cost. “We have decided to take a loan of Rs 27,000 crore to ensure the project sees the light of day. We estimate that traffic on the existing roads will reduce by 40%,” he said.

The land was notified for a width of 100 metres. “We have decided to keep the road width at 65 meters, the same as the Bengaluru-Mysuru highway. A provision has been made to accommodate the metro project in the future. The remaining 35 metres will be given back to farmers as compensation,” Shivakumar said.

Under the cash compensation, he said landowners would get twice the guidance value in urban areas and thrice in
rural areas. “Properties that are less than 20 guntas will be given cash compensation,” he said.

While the minister hinted that commercial sites would be given to farmers in the same place where their land is located, residential sites will be given in future layouts, including Shivaram Karanth Layout, which is currently under construction.

“If landowners refuse to give the land, we will deposit the compensation in the court and proceed with the project. No land will be denotified at any cost,” he said.