18 MONTHS ON, master plan in limbo

18 MONTHS ON, master plan in limbo
Development Plans For Bangalore Fringe Areas Are Still In The Works. And Realtors Are Feeling The Pinch
R Krishnakumar | TNN

Bangalore: After the Karnataka government’s fresh commitment to approve the Bangalore International Airport Area Planning Authority (BIAAPA) masterplan, real estate developers are hoping that the state follows it up by releasing another long-due masterplan — of Bangalore’s fringes.
Some 18 months after the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) released the draft interim masterplans for its five local planning areas — Anekal, Hoskote, Kanakapura, Nelamangala and Magadi — and the area planning zone I (including areas like Bidadi and Ramanagaram), development in the region is still in a limbo. The reason? Planners don’t have a plan.
It was in December 2006 that the BMRDA submitted the interim masterplans to the Karnataka government. After releasing the draft plan in May 2007, objections were called, incorporated and submitted to the government in September 2007. According to sources, the plan was moved for another round of scrutiny after the popular government assumed office. All this, throwing the local planning areas open to uncertainty and unplanned development.
“Developers can’t go ahead with their projects unless the final plan is released because they run the risk of developing areas that could be earmarked as agricultural or residential zones. The interim masterplans were haphazardly done, but they, at least, had a framework for developing the local planning areas. The delay, though, has just beaten the IMPs’ purpose,’’ V Lakshminarayana, president, Karnataka Township Developers Association, said. Sources said the economic meltdown has severely hit the real estate industry, and many developers are not pushing for the masterplan; even with the plan in place, there isn’t enough to invest. But the irony of potentially booming areas left in limbo is not lost on many. Roy C J, general secretary of KTDA, underlines the impact the delay has had on developing areas like Bidadi.
“Even two years after submission of the interim masterplan, there’s no headway. Many plans approved earlier can’t be taken forward because unless the final plan is out, documents like the release order can’t be obtained,’’ Roy said.
It’s time Karnataka released the final plan or, instead, reverted to the earlier system of need-based land conversion, according to the developers. An estimated Rs 10,000 crore is locked in the LPAs and APZ as realty investment. When released as draft, the interim masterplans covered 3,500 sqkm across more than 1,000 villages and a population of about eight lakh. The delay in the masterplan could also lead to flawed estimates in terms of population and scope, according to the developers.
The advocate-general had, late last month, made a submission to the Karnataka High Court that the government would approve the BIAAPA masterplan on or before December 18. The masterplan has been pending, even four years after obtaining a provisional approval.
THE STATE RESPONDS
Stating that it’s the urban development department which’ll decide on the final plan, BMRDA sources said overlapping of planning authorities’ functions was another issue. “In the APZ, development is planned by the BMICAPA (Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Area Planning Authority) as well. There’s a need to sort out these issues,’’ a senior official said. A UDD official confirmed that the plan was pending before the chief minister. He, however, was non-committal on the possibilities of changes in the plan and a fresh call for objections.
IN THE WAIT
Development in five LPAs in limbo About Rs 10,000 crore locked as investment Developers demand master plan or nod to conversion Final plan pending before the CM Overlapping of authorities’ functions a concern