BMP brings land worth Rs 266 cr to market

The Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs), currently under implementation in Bangalore to widen roads to ease traffic congestion, has brought to the market Rs 266 crore worth of land on 12 priority roads.

This is expected to go up further as more property owners on those roads opt for the scheme.

But the market availability of the land is only theoretical. "There has been no response to Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP)'s TDRs scheme due to abnormal increase in land cost within the Bangalore city limits," said Karnataka Ownership Apartments Promoters Association (KOAPA), president Balakrishna Hegde.

The BMP is under intense pressure, particularly on Hosur Road, from private property owners, who are demanding compensation for land acquisition at market rates.

BMP, the nodal agency to implement the TDRs, plans to introduce the road widening in phases on 85 roads totalling 144 kilometre at a cost of Rs 800 crore.

Under phase I, the BMP has taken up 12 roads totalling about 30.18 km at a cost of Rs 120 crore. The roads identified are Seshadri Road, Palace Road, Race Course Road, Kasturba Road, Bellary Road, Hosur Road, Hosur-Luskar Road, Nrupathunga Road, Jayamahal Road, Lower Agaram Road, Airport Road and Devanga Hostel Road.

About 2.08 lakh sq mt or about 51.50 acres has been identified to be acquired on these priority roads.

The Karnataka government tops the chart with 41 per cent (and has 68 properties), Government of India 11.4 per cent (17 properties), defence ministry 21 per cent (5 properties), private individuals and companies 23.60 per cent (325 properties), and BMP 3 per cent (12 properties).

A senior BMP official said a high-level meeting of department heads was held under the chairmanship of the chief minister on June 26 this year to finalise the offer of land for road widening against issue of TDRs.

"A similar meeting was held with defence ministry on Sept 6.We are expecting their reply any time," he said.

On Centre's cooperation, he said, "We do not see any hurdles as the action plan is under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission scheme to be implemented from 2006-07 when Bangalore's Comprehensive Development Plan is implemented."