‘The very foundation of BDA has been questioned…’

‘The very foundation of BDA has been questioned…’
BDA has been in the news in recent times and Bangaloreans have been following the developments closely. The Commissioner M N Vidyashankar answers some frequently asked questions in this chat with B S Manu Rao
The Times of India


Will there be another look at the land acquisition procedures of BDA?
The subject is now in court for adjudication and as such we are not in a position to say anything on that issue.

Do you see a need to change the existing BDA rules? How does the lockin period for BDA sites work?
BDA is only 30 years old. We are receptive to all good elements and adopt any good emulative aspects from any other organisation, within the framework of the existing rules. The lock-in period will help the genuine and needy allottees to have a site and build house. At the same time it has definitely created a brick wall to speculators.

What changes have you incorporated in the new Comprehensive Development Plan? When is it expected?
New CDP has been sent to Government for approval and it is expected to be cleared shortly. New CDP will have scientifically located logistic zones, Urbanisable areas and transformation norms etc. However, the revised CDP will be kept open to the public for their feedback for about two months and all the inputs will be considered for incorporation in to the new CDP.

What is the position on your future layouts? When are you going to launch the major 50,000-site project announced earlier?
As everybody is aware, the very foundation of BDA and its jurisdiction, its area of operation, and activity have been questioned, and these things are in the Court. As such we cannot say anything at this stage about new layout projects.

You had planned many infrastructure projects. When will they take off ? When can we expect work to start on the Airport Road flyover?
Two flyover projects - Airport Road Flyover and Jayadeva Flyover - are under litigation today. 60 percent of work of the Jayadeva Flyover as been completed and the remaining work involving underpass and service roads has to be completed. The contractor UPSB Corporation who has been unable to complete the project within the scheduled and rescheduled timeframe has been terminated by BDA both from Jayadeva Flyover and Airport Road Flyover Project. Fresh tenders were called for both and were at the stage of finalising. The UPSB Corporation has gone to court and brought a stay for three weeks' time. The next hearing is on May 23, 2005 and only after the judgement can we think of any future course of action.

When will the city get its first mobile flyover? Where will it be?
The first two mobile flyovers are part of the Hi-tech City Express Corridor Project of 8.5 km linking Airport and Electronic City. These mobile flyovers are coming across two lakes at Kaikondanahalli.

Is there a need for a relook at BDA's role in managing growth and development of the city?
Any city, for that matter, for a systematic and orderly growth, needs some monitoring. As such BDA continues to be a planning authority which manages orderly growth and development of the city and its infrastructure.

What is the status of the Hi-tech City?
Hi-tech City project has been cleared from the cabinet and the final notified area is 997 acres. The total cost of the project is Rs 490 crores. Tender as been invited from BDA for the Express Highway Project costing Rs 40 crores and the site allotment process is handled at two levels from Karnataka Udyog Mithra. Allotments of land valued at Rs 50 crores and below are being decided by a lower level committee. Allotments of land valued at above Rs 50 crores are being decided by a higher level committee headed by the Deputy CM. However, the project is under litigation in the matter of land acquisition.