Arkavathy cloud over Hi-tech City project

Arkavathy cloud over Hi-tech City project
New INdian Express

BANGALORE: Even as it is reeling under the High Court’s devastating verdict on the Arkavathy Layout, the Bangalore Development Authority finds itself once again under scanner for its high-profile Hi-Tech City project.

For some of the farmers whose lands have been notified by the BDA have challenged the project in the court on the same grounds that led to the cancellation of the Arkavathy Layout.

Though the BDA has already issued final notifications to acquire 1,070 acres, it is yet to give compensation to farmers. “We have already called for tenders for the project. Now, we are confused and don’t know if we should continue with the process in the wake of Friday’s judgment,” a senior BDA official said.

On Friday, the High Court quashed the formation of the Arkavathy Layout stating that the BDA was not competent to take up developmental activities outside the city limits.

Though Chief Minister Dharam Singh on Saturday promised to set up a Bangalore Metropolitan Authority as suggested by the court, the project is likely to suffer until such a body actually materialises. “Even if the Government sets up a metropolitan authority, the project has to be started from the scratch,” sources said.

The proposed Rs 390-crore Hi-Tech City, which is to come up along the 8.5-km stretch of land between the Electronics City and Sarjapur, envisages an integrated township with office space, residential complexes, commercial establishments, educational institutions among other facilities, besides housing several IT and biotechnology giants.

It is to be built along the lines of the Bandra-Kurla commercial complex in Mumbai. Conceived by the S.M. Krishna Government, it was deferred due to elections.

Later, it was almost put on hold until the city’s IT czars complained to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi after the coalition government came into being.

Following this, Dharam Singh on November 1 announced that work on the project would commence from November15.

As the Cabinet delayed clearance to the project, the work did not start on the scheduled date as promised by the Chief Minister.