Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday informed the Legislative Assembly that simplifying Transferable Development Rights (TDRs) by amending the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, is the only viable option for land acquisition for widening of arterial roads in the State’s capital.

The Chief Minister said a Bill would be tabled in the House for simplification of TDR and for eliminating survey of lands by multiple agencies for granting TDRs for those who agree to hand over lands for development and infrastructure projects.

Three key roads

In a reply to M. Satish Reddy (BJP) during Question Hour, Mr. Bommai said land acquisition and handover of huge compensation has been the major causes for delay in the completion of Bannerghatta, Begur, and Sarjapur roads in the city.

He said ₹4,475 crore would be needed for acquisition of land for Bannerghatta, Begurm and Sarjapur roads, all linked to Electronic City. Instead of TDR, land owners have been seeking compensation in monetary terms. Land compensation would burden the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and it would not be possible for the civic body to execute road widening projects on such high costs, he said.

Land acquisition cost for the Bannerghatta Road is estimated at ₹2,320 crore, ₹575 crore for Begur Road, and ₹1,580 crore for Sarjapur road. Some land owners have filed petitions in the High Court opposing the TDR policy of the government and this has caused delay in completing the projects, Mr. Bommai said.

March deadline

Widening of all three roads would be completed by March 2022, he said.

Mr. Bommai said existing TDR regulations were complicated and they mandated surveys by the project implementing agency such as BBMP and Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Ltd. followed verification surveys by the Bangalore Development Authority, and other urban development authorities before TDR was issued.