BENGALURU: There appears to be an unwarranted delay in the allotment of sites of Dr K Shivarama Karanth Layout. Located near Kempegowda International Airport, the layout is almost complete and allotment was to commence in the first week of December, but it doesn’t look like that will happen any time soon.
Bangalore Development Authority’s second largest layout is made up with 34,000 sites developed on 3,546 acres and 12 guntas, of which 12,000 sites would be allotted for the public.
“The BDA has proposed fixing the price at Rs 3,650 per sqft for the layout, and the file was placed before its Board for consent on September 25. The Board, its final authority, comprises the Urban Development additional chief secretary and heads of civic agencies, and sends its recommendation to the State government for its consent. There has been no word on a green signal for the allotment, though over months have elapsed since its meet,” a source said. In fact, the minutes of the meeting have also not been released.
Another source said the rate fixed by BDA was quite nominal as the market rate was around Rs 6,000 per sqft feet in the area. “The State had approved Rs 5,337 crore for the formation of the layout and with this rate fixed by the BDA, it will recover the investment. It will be a no-profit, no-loss venture.”
The layout is unique in that it is the first BDA layout being developed under the supervision of the Supreme-Court appointed Justice AV Chandrashekhar Committee (JCC). It had in a press briefing mid-September stated that the formation of roads and drains was on the verge of completion, and site numbering was being done. The Committee specified the first week of December as the site allotment deadline.
Priority would be given to landlosing farmers with 15,000 sites earmarked for them, 12,000 for the public, and 2,000 for revenue site holders, while 4,500 sites are corner sites which would be auctioned in the future, it stated.
There are multiple reasons attributed to the delay. A senior official told TNIE, “The Board wants to increase the rates proposed by the BDA in order to garner more revenue. The delay could be as it is looking at revising them.” Another official said, “The term of the JCC will end by December 31. With the team out of its way, BDA will have a free hand in the layout.”
BDA Commisioner N Jayaram was unreachable. BDA Finance Member A Lokesh refused to share information.