Govt loosens Green Belt to help city expand

Govt loosens Green Belt to help city expand
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: To facilitate comprehensive development of Bangalore, the Karnataka Government, on Wednesday, cleared the Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA) revised Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) which would ease restrictions in the Green Belt area around the city.

Anticipating the city’s population to grow to 8.8 million by 2015, the revised CDP provides for more land for industrial growth, laying of 108 km of peripheral ring road around Bangalore and a total ban on construction on tank beds.

Giving details of the revised CDP, Chief Minister Dharam Singh told reporters that a notification in this regard would be issued on Thursday giving 60 days for the public to file their objections.

According to the revised CDP, the Green Belt area has been reduced from 1,240 sq km to 419 sq km to help industrial activities and to provide basic amenities to those who migrate to the city.

About 564 sq km of land is to be earmarked for providing amenities to the projected population and nearly 812 sq km was required for ‘white collared’ people coming to Bangalore for jobs.

The Chief Minister said restrictions in the Green Belt area in the eastern and northern parts of Bangalore will be relaxed but the Green Belt areas of west and south of the city will remain intact because of the existence of Thippagondanahally reservoir and Bannerghatta National Park in those parts.

Singh said relaxation of Green Belt restrictions was required to ensure organised growth of the city and to curb unauthorised construction.

According to the revised CDP, 12 percent of the Green Belt area (96 square km) will be provided for industrial activity as against 6.8 percent of the land provided for the purpose in the existing CDP.

The Chief Minister said allowing development activities on tank beds led to flooding of houses in Ejipura and Koramangala areas and hence such activities will not be encouraged henceforth.

Construction of peripheral ring roads with 12 bridges and three underpasses covering an area of 5,430 acres would cost Rs. 990 crore.

Huge godowns would be constructed along peripheral ring roads and eight truck terminals would be developed near the highways.