Freeze on land use conversion around city

Freeze on land use conversion around city
BMRDA Is Drawing Up Master Plan l Deadline Is December 31
The Times of India


Bangalore: In a blow to the booming real estate development around Bangalore city, the coalition government has frozen all land use conversions — from agriculture to residential, commercial or industrial — up to December.

This means, if a real estate developer or any industrialist (including IT) wants land in a 3,000-acre ring around Bangalore, he will not get it till December. Reason: The planning authority for the region — Bangalore Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (BMRDA) — wants to do planned development.
BMRDA sources told The Times of India: “We are drawing up a master plan for land use around Bangalore. We’ve issued an order freezing conversions around the city till the plan is completed. Deadline is Dec. 31.’’

The regions for which the ban is in place — Anekal, Hoskote, Kanakapura, Magadi and Nelamangala — are presently the most sought after for residential and industrial development. They come outside the purview of the BDA’s Comprehensive Development Plan, the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority and the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority.

On an average, about 300 applications come per month seeking land use conversions for residential layouts in the region. Revenue layouts and violations of BMRDA regulations are said to be rampant.

BMRDA said in its orders dated July 14 and 15 that there is a need for such a freeze on land conversions due to their bitter experience with the structural plan notified on Sept. 21, 2005. “Even as the plan was being made, conversions were on violating it. We want to prevent this,’’ sources added. The move has the real estate sector up in arms. “There’s certainly need for planned development. But there are already four plans in existence — the outline development plan, the CDP, the structural plan and the BIAAPA’s area plan — all drafted spending crores. Why don’t they just implement these instead of working for a fresh plan?’’ Farooq Mahmood, a real estate agent, asked.

Such a freeze would push land prices up at least 10 times. The squeeze on available land could lead to money being exchanged under the counter with government officials to ensure certain sections are ‘deleted’ from the new plan. “All such plans end up as money-making rackets for those in power. The orders should be withdrawn and the city allowed to grow as per existing plans at its natural pace,’’ another real estate developer, who did not want to be named, maintained.