Turf Club in the way of BMP bulldozer

Turf Club in the way of BMP bulldozer
Friday May 11 2007 10:38 IST

BMP’s road-widening work on Race Course Road

BANGALORE: Ban racing. If you cannot ban it, shift the race course. If that too is not possible, encroach upon it. They will themselves vacate. That seems to be the ploy.

Widening of the Race Course Road is in full swing. Land belonging to a college and a five-star hotel has been taken over. Their compound walls have been demolished. In a day or two, the demolition squad will reach the Bangalore Turf Club’s (BTC) car-parking area meant for its members. After they finish work on the western side, the eastern side will be taken up. Going by the BMP’s order, land right upto the main race track will have to be surrendered by the BTC. They have no choice. Or so it seems.

‘‘Yes, we have received a notice from the BMP that about 5-ft of land in our car-parking area must be given for road-widening purposes. We have given them the assent. But we have also made suggestions so that we can utilise the subway that we constructed out of our funds. If a 3-ft from the footpath is given, the subway can be saved,’’ said Marilingaiah, BTC Chairman.

‘‘Earlier also, we had made a representation to the Chief Minister. After hearing from the BMP, we will again apprise the CM and seek his help,’’ Marilingaiah added.

The BMP had notified the club last year that they would be acquiring 8,465 sq. metres of land in the race course to facilitate widening of the Race Course Road. If that stands good, it would mean that the BTC would have to hand over 2.08 acre including the entire training track and a part of the main track on which the racing takes place.

More than 100 stables and other structures on the periphery of the training track would also have to demolished. If the race track itself is affected, how can racing be conducted at all.

Since there is no space inside, there is no possibility of the track being realinged. For the flyover construction on Seshadri Road, the BTC lost 1870 sq metres of land at the expense of more than 100 stables. Incidentally, the CM had himself chaired the high-level committee meeting regarding widening of Race Course Road last year. In fact, the CM, according to the BMP authorities, had directed them to take up road widening work on a priority basis. The work was to be completed by January 1, 2007.

As the bulldozers raze the walls opposite the BTC to the ground, the officials await the squad sooner than later at their doorstep.

BMP’s statement

‘‘The Bangalore Turf Club, earlier, has given the land to the BDA. We have asked for land as the road has to be widened by 30-ft on both sides. We had sent them a letter earlier. There is no change in plans and the BTC has agreed to give us whatever we had asked for,’’ said M Rangaraju, chief engineer (road widening), BMP.