BENGALURU: The Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) Farmers’ and Site Owners’ Association has demanded that the BDA stop using the outdated 1894 Land Acquisition Act and immediately align its Act with the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 (LARR Act). They further argued that the project should be considered lapsed after two decades of inaction since its first notification.
The members of the association met BDA Chairman NA Haris and Commissioner P Manivannan on Thursday, seeking clarity on the project and having discussions over the same. Farmers said acquisition proceedings began in 2005-06, with final notifications issued from 2007, but no possession was taken, awards passed, or compensation paid, making the acquisition invalid.
During the meeting, which saw instances of heated exchanges, members highlighted their 20 years of suffering. Lands were “locked”, preventing families from transferring ownership after their parents’ deaths or developing the property. They accused BDA of freezing guidance values in PRR villages since 2016 to suppress compensation.
The association also opposed BDA’s “consent award” meetings, calling them exploitative. They argued that with the newly created GBA, all acquisitions must follow the 2013 LARR Act.
In response, Haris said the design had been reworked to include 12-metre service roads on both sides and space for a future metro line. He added that regarding compensation, the proposal placed before the cabinet follows the 2013 Land Acquisition Act. It offers three times the guidance value in rural areas and twice the guidance value in urban areas, including within BBMP limits. This formula, already discussed with government banks, has been accepted by all stakeholders. He also added that other means of compensation are being considered such as Transfer of Development Rights, land for land, provided that the land owner agrees.