Yeddyurappa shows interest to revive Knowledge City

Yeddyurappa shows interest to revive Knowledge City
By P M Raghunandan, DH News Service, Bangalore:
The Yeddyurappa government does not seem to be averse to the Knowledge City near Bidadi...


After being kept in the cold storage for while, the Chief Minister is now showing interest in reviewing the ambitious Knowledge City project. He has asked the Delhi-based DLF to make a detailed presentation on it .

A Rs 50,000-crore township project, planned to come up roughly 30 kms from Bangalore city in Bidadi, aims to create much-needed space for professionals, especially those from IT and BT industries. It is based on the “work-live-play” concept. But the project failed to make much progress despite being cleared by the then government, almost a year ago.

“The CM will personally go through the nitty-gritty of the whole project, including a detailed concept plan, feasibility of the township, progress made so far and, more importantly, land acquisition. He may take the final decision in the cabinet and the day for the presentation will be fixed after the budget,” a top official in the Urban Development department said.

CM meets BMRDA

Sources said that Yeddyurappa has already held a meeting with the officials of Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA), the nodal agency to implement the project. “The CM is open-minded about the project and he is in fact convinced that integrated townships are the only way out to ease Bangalore’s congestion. But he doesn't want to take any decision in haste,” the sources added.

They also said that the BMRDA officials, in turn, have held a series of discussions with the representatives of DLF.
The Government may recommend that the project promoter DLF acquire the required land on its own as against the original plan where the Government was supposed to acquire land for the project. An estimated 9,000 acres are required for the proposed township.

The promoter, as per the original plan, has already deposited Rs 400 crore - Rs 300 crore as the initial project cost, and Rs 100 crore for land acquisition. But the preliminary land acquisition notification has not been issued so far.

DLF claims

This apart, the DLF may be asked to give up two of its demands - to provide right to claim liquidatory damages if land acquisition process is delayed, and the right to sublease the land openly.

The promoter came up with these demands early this year, as it was concerned that land acquisition process would be delayed, sources said.

If the Government gives a go-ahead to Bidadi township, the BMRDA is planning to take up the proposed Solur township in Magadi taluk. Altogether five satellite townships have been proposed to be set up around Bangalore - Bidadi, Solur, Nandagudi, Kasaba and Sathanur.

HIGHLIGHTS

*The CM has asked DLF to make a presentation on Knowledge City project
*Govt may recommend certain modifications
*The promoter may be asked to acquire land on its own
*BMRDA to take up proposed Solur township next