
BENGALURU: Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar on Monday urged land acquisition officers to negotiate with landlosing farmers of the Rs 27,000-crore Bengaluru Business Corridor (Peripheral Ring Road) in order to arrive at a resolution over the contentious issue. Farmers are unhappy with the compensation proposed by the State government, and are demanding compensation on par with market value.
The DCM asked land acquisition officials to offer a ‘Consent Award’ to farmers which was higher than what BDA was presently willing to offer.
The 73-km circular project aimed at decongesting the city was proposed 19 years ago. It will connect Tumakuru Road to Hosur Road via Ballari Road, Old Madras Road and Whitefield Road. A total of 2,560 acres of land spread across 67 villages have been acquired from nearly 4,000 farmers.
BDA officials were made to wait for four hours by the minister, who wanted to hold a review of BDA projects. He later asked them to report at the BMRDA office for the review, but left in 30 minutes as he had another meeting to attend.