BENGALURU: An agriculturist was confounded after learning that the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has allotted 26 sites for economically weaker sections in Arkavathy Layout on 20 guntas of land which it had never acquired. The landowner is now repeatedly requesting to BDA that his land be returned.
The property belongs to Mohan Reddy’s family. Speaking to TNSE, Reddy said, “I own 30 guntas (site no. 128/1) at Chelekere in KR Puram hobli, of which 10 guntas were notified and acquired for road and widening of drain. Compensation was also announced. There was no mention of the remaining 20 guntas either in the preliminary or final notification. I only came to know when those allotted tried to take possession of their property.” Sites number 968 to 994, all of 20x30 sqft in dimension, have been allotted now.
Reddy has shot off letters to the BDA commissioner on December 22, 2021 and December 23, 2022, but to no avail.
“In January this year, an allottee landed up at the site earmarked for him to construct a house. I filed a police complaint too at Hennur police station to stop him from interfering in my property,” he said.
An official in the engineering department conceded that BDA was at fault. “It was a mistake. This allotment happened anytime between 2014 and 2018. It is the land acquisition and engineering department officials who are at fault. An investigation will reveal those who have erred,” he said.
Asked about the solution, he said, “We cannot take back the land allotted now. The value of the land could be roughly Rs 15 crore now. The solution is for him to accept 50 per cent of the developed land in the same layout, if he requests the commissioner and the Board too okays it.” However, Reddy is unhappy with this proposed deal. “Farmers are not beggars to accept 50 per cent of the land the BDA gives. I do not want any developed land. I only want my ancestral property back.”
A top official in the land acquisition department said she would get back with details. Reddy demanded the details of the beneficiaries of the land usurped from farmers on the pretext of acquisition. “Out of 3,339 acres notified for acquisition in the preliminary notification, only 1,766 acres were acquired through the final notification. Of this, only 600 acres have been utilised for layout. What happened to the remaining, and who are the beneficiaries? I plan to file a PIL in court to know the details,” Reddy said.