Work on hi-tech city unlikely to start from Nov 15

Work on hi-tech city unlikely to start from Nov 15
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: The much-vaunted hi-tech city announced by Chief Minister Dharam Singh recently is... miles away.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) is unlikely to start the work from November 15, as it is yet to get the Government's nod to issue a final notification for land acquisition.

Sources in the Government maintained that even if the proposed hi-tech city project was approved in the next Cabinet meet, it would take a minimum of six months to complete the complicated land acquisition process and other formalities. Only after these decks are cleared can the BDA start work.

The Chief Minister, during the inauguration of IT.Com on November 1, had announced that the work on the much-awaited hi-tech City Project - also called IT Corridor - would begin from November 15. The Rs.390-crore project, spread over 1,070 acres, would house the who's who of IT and BT companies.

Rules say that once the final notification for land acquisition is issued, the land acquisition officer will survey it and a price will be fixed. The deputy commissioner concerned will verify this. If the compensation of a landowner exceeds Rs.1 crore, it has to be approved by the Chief Minister himself. Once this is cleared, the BDA can take possession of the land after paying the compensation.

The project is based on the Bandra-Kurla commercial complex in Mumbai. Bangalore Agenda Task Force member V. Ravichandar and Swathi Ramanathan of Janagraha prepared a detailed plan.

It envisages an integrated township with office space, residential complexes, commercial establishments, educational institutions, among other facilities. This ambitious project was conceived by the previous S.M. Krishna Government to decongest the city traffic by shifting all the major IT and BT corporate offices to the outskirts.

The State Government had even entered into an agreement with Jurong Township Corporation of Singapore to help develop a state-of-the-art IT Corridor. However, the Government had to defer the plan because of the general elections held early this year.