Two industrial layouts planned around Bangalore

Two industrial layouts planned around Bangalore

S. Rajendran

They will be contiguous with the five new mega housing layouts

Industrial land to be allocated only to “clean industries”

BANGALORE: Two hi-tech industrial layouts have been planned around Bangalore and they will be contiguous with the five new mega housing layouts to be formed by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

This is said to be part of a new experiment being launched by the Government to decongest Bangalore and to ensure that people from one residential pocket are not compelled to crisscross the city to reach their workplaces. Called “the integrated township scheme,” the Government has decided to promote integrated townships like the ones that existed several decades ago when major industries had a residential township alongside.

Sources in the Karnataka Secretariat told The Hindu here that the Government, which sometime ago cleared the preliminary proposal and surveys for the formation of the two industrial layouts, was now expected to give the formal nod for land acquisition.

These lands along with the 15,000 acres of land sought to be acquired by the BDA for the formation of five mega layouts were part of the greenbelt around Bangalore and were recently reclassified following the adoption of the new Comprehensive Development Plan for Bangalore.

According to Commissioner of BDA M.K. Shankaralinge Gowda, who has given the blueprint to the Government on the integrated townships concept and the availability of land for the same, said to be the first of its kind in India, industrial lands would be allocated only to what had been classified as “clean industries” — information technology, biotechnology, research centres, business process outsourcing and information technology-enabled services companies, garment units (barring those involved in dyeing) and so on.

While one hi-tech layout will be in the western part of Bangalore beyond Rajajinagar and Vijayanagar spread over 1,050 acres, the other would encompass the southern and eastern outskirts of the city between Hosur Road and Whitefield. It would extend over 3,500 acres.

As part of the layout, there would be a high speed corridor linking the Hosur Road with Whitefield area and from there to the international airport under construction in Devanahalli.
Department intimated

Mr. Shankaralinge Gowda has intimated the Department of Industries and Commerce and the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board on the integrated townships concept and the need for the latter to immediately take possession of the land.

A high-level investment committee, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, will allot the land to various entrepreneurs based on their requirements and other factors. While the BDA has opted for the joint venture route to acquire the lands (land owners will be given four sites in exchange for every acre), it is for the Industries Department to finalise the method of land acquisition.

The BDA Commissioner said the two industrial layouts would be developed simultaneously with five mega residential layouts which together would have 1.76 lakh sites of various dimensions. The area for the industrial layouts had been earmarked in such a way that it had a good groundwater potential.