Work on Bidadi Satellite Township to begin

Work on Bidadi Satellite Township to begin
This will be the first of the five townships planned around the city.
The Times of India


It is touted as one of the ambitious projects of the Government as it falls within the Chief Minister's constituency. With the BMICP Bidadi Township also falling in the vicinity, the region is all set for further push on the realty front. The project located 35-km from Bangalore will cover eight villages - Byramangala, Bannigiri, Hosur, KG Gollarapalya, Kanchugaranahalli, Aralalasandra, Kempaiahnapalya and Kaval. A part of the five townships and two ring roads, this project is the government's answer to decongest Bangalore and keep up with its rapid growth.
Under a tentative understanding worked out in consultation with the Union Minister for Surface Transport, the State Government and the Centre will bear 25 percent of the costs each and the private sector participant the remaining 50 percent.
The Bidadi township is being carved out on a work, live and play concept. It will be mandatory for people who work in the township to live there. Residential layout, commercial zone, industries, malls, entertainment bazaars and market areas are some of the key features of the township.
Recently, the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) opened the request for qualification bids in which 32 consortia comprising 120 companies had participated including both the firms of the Ambanis, Delhi-based DLF, Bangalore's high-profile builders, and 17 foreign companies from Australia, China and Singapore. The BMRDA, which is in the process of short-listing the developers, has asked for a detailed rehabilitation package.
According to sources in the government, the developers have to draw the package with compensation, relocation along with jobs and housing facilities for the displaced farmers. "After the technical and financial bids, it is the rehabilitation package which is also a qualifying factor", sources say.
This time, one of the biggest challenges before the prospective developers is the rehabilitation package for land losers, which will be taken as a major parameter to decide on the work contract. Unlike every other land acquisition process where compensation is the only source of relief, in Bidadi township, a complete rehabilitation package is being chalked out which aims at integrating land losers with the township.
According to sources, the government is looking at a compensation of an average Rs 30 lakhs per acre depending on the location of the land. Hence, the compensation component for the Rs 50,000 crore project involving 10,000 acres of land is Rs 3,000 crores.
The other satellite towns to be developed include Sathanur in Kanakapura taluk, Nandagudi in Hoskote taluk, Kasaba in Ramanagaram taluk and Solur in Magadi taluk. A length of 262 km of radial roads linking the two ring roads will be developed at a cost of Rs 780 crores.
The project report for the two ring roads is being finalised by the National Highways Authority of India. Survey work for road alignment and townships will be done by a private agency for which expression of interest has been called. Bidadi will be the first township to be developed since it has adequate drinking water supply.