Work on Arkavathy Layout to begin in 10 days

Work on Arkavathy Layout to begin in 10 days

The Hindu

The BDA has allotted 7,003 sites in the second phase of allotment

# The BDA distributed 1,810 sites in the first phase of allotment
# Twenty-two contractors worked on developing civil works during the first phase
# Of the 2,750 acres notified for the layout, nearly 748 acres were in dispute
# The BDA, at a board meeting, decided to exempt 140 acres that was under dispute

BANGALORE: After stoppage of civil work in Arkavathy Layout for the past six months, work is all set to begin within 10 days, according to Muniswamy, Executive Engineer of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

The BDA over the past few days allotted 7,003 sites in the second phase of allotment for the layout. In the first phase of allotment, the BDA distributed 1,810 sites.

"We have asked the contractors who worked on the first phase of Arkavathy Layout whether they will continue on the project, otherwise, we will call for other contractors," Mr. Muniswamy said. Twenty-two contractors worked on developing civil works in the 22 packages during the first phase of the layout.

A decision on the contractors is likely to be taken when the BDA board meets this week. "It will be taken up and decided at the meeting," he said.

All civil work on the layout came to a standstill in February 2005 because landowners questioned the BDA's power to acquire land and the process by which it did so. A single judge order in May quashed the acquisition of land for the layout. Immediately after this, some agitated landowners and farmers allegedly looted material worth Rs. 10 crore from the area.

The BDA was planning to start some of the civil works in November after the High Court cleared the project. However, it was not able to convince the contractors to work on the project at that point of time. As the areas that were under litigation were distributed throughout the layout area, the contractors said they did not get a clear picture of the lands that would finally be available to them. Of the 2,750 acres notified for the layout, nearly 748 acres were in dispute.

A month ago, the BDA, at a board meeting, decided to exempt 140 acres that was under dispute. Now that the plan of the layout had emerged, the BDA was planning to start the civil works once again.

Engineers in the BDA said the contractors would first work on re-doing some of the civil works in the first phase of the layout. "Some of the roads have to be re-laid and the area has to be weeded," says Mr. Muniswamy. After that, the BDA says that it would take up civil works in the second phase of the layout.