Hi-Tech City project low on progress

Hi-Tech City project low on progress
The Times of India

Bangalore: The BDA’s 490-crore Hi-Tech City project, to come up between Sarjapur Road and Hosur Road, has been bogged down by litigation.

The project involves 997 acres across 12 villages under Varthur, Sarjapur and Begur hoblis. But BDA is yet to take possession of the land, as there are some seven to eight cases against the project. “We don’t know if these have been filed by farmers or simply land-owners. It is difficult to make that out,’’ sources explain.

In fact, BDA has prayed before the court (now hearing its Arkavathy appeal) to simultaneously hear litigations against the Hi-Tech City as well.

Despite this, BDA vows there will be no scaling down of the project. It insists that info and bio-tech companies are still interested in the scheme and adds that requests for land are now before the state high power committee and Udyog Mitra, the single window agency, for clearance.

But, at present, a Government Order (GO) has been issued on one request — that of 100 acres for Infosys.
BDA says it does not know how many units can come up. “It depends on the number of proposals the committee gets,’’ sources point out, adding that some companies have only asked for one or two acres of land.

Designed to cost Rs 114 crore, the project envisages a 8.5 km long, 60-metre wide corridor, part of which will come under the ‘green belt’ of the 1995 Comprehensive Development Plan of the city. Official sources say May 23 is the last date to submit tenders for the project. BDA will provide the required infrastructure, including providing roads, power and water.

For the record, BDA had earlier announced that the work could even be considered as a part of the government’s old IT Corridor project.

Coming to the deadline, BDA had earlier scheduled its commencement by May and completion by January 2006. Now, it looks like the Hi-Tech Corridor will also go the flyovers way!