Stop developers gobbling up private land cheaply

Stop developers gobbling up private land cheaply
DH News Service, Bangalore:
The Legislative Committee on land encroachment in and around Bangalore has urged the State government to go easy on the auction of government land recovered from encroachers, to prevent private developers from gobbling up prime land at cheap rates.

The Legislative Committee on land encroachment in and around Bangalore has urged the State government to go easy on the auction of government land recovered from encroachers, to prevent private developers from gobbling up prime land at cheap rates.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Chairman of the Committee A T Ramaswamy said the relatively low prices that land fetched during the recent public auctions was an issue of concern.
The Ramaswamy Committee has so far identified 27,153 acres and 17 1/2 guntas as encroached government land in and around Bangalore. According to the Committee, the final figure could cross 30,000 acres.
“The government should look at the options of developing the land itself and utilise it for public use. Though auctions are beyond the purview of the Committee, we recommend that the government has a re-look at the low prices fetched at the auctions,” said Mr Ramaswamy.
In the auctions held last month, the Revenue Department clocked Rs 271 crore on 578 acres and 23 guntas, a price that the Committee termed low.
Earlier, members visited B M Kaval, Vaddarapalya and Ideal Home Building Co-operative Society (Kengeri Hobli) to inspect specific cases of encroachment.
Mr Ramaswamy said, the Society had encroached seven acres and six guntas of government land. In Vaddarapalya, Best Club (2.5 acres) and Khodays Group (four acres) have been identified as encroachers, he said. He said two BBMP officials had been suspended on charges of preparing fake documents in the case regarding encroachment of Chowbeena Subbarao’s property in Chamarajpet. T G Ramachandra, Second Division Clerk and H C Srinivasulu, ARO are the ones suspended. A case of criminal conspiracy has also been filed against C R Shamanna and son S Venkatesh on April 25, he said. On encroachment of 39,010 sq ft of roads in Binnamangala, ARO V Nanjundaiah has been suspended for preparing fake documents, he said.