BENGALURU: Eleven acres of prime land worth over Rs 150 crore at Jakkur, behind the Government Flying Training School, is mired in a massive controversy. The families of farmers, who originally sold the land at throw-away prices three decades ago, have allegedly recently blocked access to 252 site owners in collusion with individuals who are allegedly part of the city’s land mafia.
A 1-km stretch from Jakkur Road to the GKVK campus is sealed completely. The Bangalore Development Authority gets involved a decade after the purchase in connection with its Arkavathy Layout, created problems for owners, and left after some years.
Those who bought the properties were employees of Karnataka State Khadi and the Village Industries Board. At present, 90 per cent of them are senior citizens. Some have passed away and their next generations are battling the case in courts.
Speaking on behalf of them is Nataraj Purudappa, whose late father had purchased a 30x40 sq ft site for Rs 45,000, told TNIE, “When I visited the spot around two months ago, I saw that gates have come up at both the entrances to our Layout. Security has been deployed.”
“The present market value of the site will be Rs 1 crore while the 40x60 sq ft sites (purchased for over Rs 1 lakh) has a market value of Rs 2 crore. Those who sold the sites are now staking claim because of the market value,” he claimed. The purchasers have registered the properties at the sub-registrar’s office, and have their sale deeds.
An FIR, which was filed at Amruthahalli police station in 2016, was closed without any action, Purudappa added. Sachin Venkatesh, Liasion Officer of site owner Lokesh, one of those who sold it to the employees, dismisses their ownership charging the Khadi association was an unregistered one. He also furnished verdicts in two such cases in civil courts to justify this stance.
BDA notified the 11 acres for acquisition in 2003-2004 for its Arkavathy Layout. The BDA later denotified the land in 2014 and the properties were returned but with alterations which irked owners. A top BDA official denied being involved in the situation.