BENGALURU: The revised detailed project report compiled for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project has jacked up the construction cost by an additional Rs 1,000 crore. The earlier cost was Rs 3,850 crore, and the cost is Rs 4,869 crore, said top BDA officials. The land acquisition cost for the project stands at `8,100 crore.
The 65.5 km project, aimed at decongesting the city, was proposed in 2007, but has still not taken off due to land acquisition issues, alignment changes and the huge land compensation cost to be paid to farmers whose 1,810 acres were being acquired for the project.
Presently, tenders to go ahead with the eight-lane project cannot be called unless the Supreme Court gives its final orders in a case pending with it in connection with environmental clearance for the project. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had restrained the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) from going ahead with the project, following which, the BDA has filed an appeal in the Supreme Court.
The state government had assured financial assistance for the project after numerous attempts to mobilise funding for it went in vain.
Meanwhile, the BDA had, earlier this year, decided to follow the alignment proposed in 2007. “STUP Consultants has submitted a revised DPR to the BDA, in which the construction cost has been fixed at Rs 4,869 crore now. The proposal has been sent to the government to get its approval for compensation to be fixed for land losers,” a top official said.
The topographical survey to award the exact compensation to those who are losing their lands has been completed with drones, being involved for the sake of accuracy, he added.
The Joint Measurement Committee comprising surveyors and engineers from both BDA and the Bhoomi Departments have recently begun conducting measurements of the land.
As per the 2007 alignment, the PRR will start from Tumkur Road and end at Hosur Road on NH-44 at the NICE road starting point. It will encircle the Outer Ring Road and provide seamless connectivity to IT hubs and residential areas, including Whitefield, Sarjapura, Kempegowda Airport, Varthur and Hosakote.