BMRC Watch: Acquisition of private lands begins in right earnest

Acquisition of private lands begins in right earnest
The Times of India

Bangalore: The one thing that citizens were up in arms against — losing land to the Metro Rail — has now apparently been settled. The BMRC (Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation) authorities have started the task of acquiring land — private, state government, public sector undertakings, Union government — for the project.
The contentious acquisition of private lands has also begun in right earnest, with a March deadline. For the East-West corridor alone, 10.95 acres of private land is required and this stretch has been notified under section 28(1) of KIAD Act.
The defence department has agreed to hand over 101.72 acres of land to BMRC. Meanwhile, 25.65 acres of land belonging to Nuclear Power Corporation of India have been acquired and taken possession of.
Final notifications have been issued for 64 properties across the stretch of Old Madras Road, Ulsoor Road, Trinity Circle. Two major slums which will have to be razed to make way for the project — Jaibhima and Basaveshwara slums — will have alternative houses constructed at different locations. The construction of these “small” apartments is slated to start in July 2007 with a completion date of October 2008.
Geotechnical, a survey that will precisely locate certain stations and rail lines, is yet to be done for 26 km. Civic utility agencies BSNL and BWSSB which have undertaken shifting of underground utilities have a deadline of February-end.
The Metro Rail, by consensus, is on track.