5 years later, 49 road works still on paper

5 years later, 49 road works still on paper
Building Bye-Law Violations Have Hampered BCC’s Road-Widening Projects
Times of India

Bangalore: The Bangalore City Corporation (BCC) had listed 49 major roads for widening. That was five years ago. To date, the project has not moved an inch beyond the planning stage.
Hitch: Lack of land. The built-up area starts at the road, leaving no setback by the roadsides.

Solution: Acquisition.

But the entire process is knotty, and the BCC will have to cough up some whopping compensation.
Building bye-laws of the BCC and the revised Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) list out 135 important roads for which building lines have been specified.
Building line is the space between the edge of the road (including pavement width and drain) and the building, and should be left unused for widening of roads in future.
But on these 49 roads, the building line has been violated, with structures being constructed on the edge of pavements.

They include Mission Road, Devanga Hostel Road, Nrupatunga Road, Lalbagh Road, Lalbagh Fort Road, Seshadri Road, which will be widened by 50-80 feet.
The building line depends on width of the road and varies from road to road, ranging between 3 and 12 metres. In rural areas, wherever village/grama thanas/built-up areas face the highways, 5 metres of building line is prescribed.

For instance, on MG Road, the building line specified by the BCC and CDP is 5 metres, right up to Trinity Church.
“Violations should be checked when buildings are under construction. Once a structure is fully built, it is impossible to initiate any action. Engineers have also ignored the issue, and this chokes the city,” town planners pointed out.

If the building line is maintained, road widening can be taken up without legal hassles, they say. According to the law, the architect should submit building plan along with an undertaking that it is as per rules. If there are any violations, the architect can lose his/her licence.

BCC engineer-in-chief Ramegowda says that work will start on the 49 roads only if the Transferable Development Rights comes into force, “Only if the Transferable Development Rights is implemented can the project begin. Otherwise, the BCC cannot afford to pay huge compensation to property owners,’’ he added.

The Transferable Development Rights envisages permitting an additional Floor Area Ratio to the owner whose land is acquired.

No compensation is paid, but the owner has the option either to extend construction or sell the ‘rights’ to a prospective builder. The additional Floor Area Ratio is fixed in proportion to the land procured.

TOEING THE LINE METRES

Magadi Road beyond Housing Board quarters 12
Bellary Road up to Mekhri Circle 5
Tumkur Road beyond CMTI quarters 12
Indiranagar 100 ft road 3
Residency and Richmond roads 5
Avenue Road, Chickpet and Akkipet 2
Hosur Road beyond Outer Ring Road 12
Roads around Jayanagar shopping complex 3