Defence land swapped for infra projects in Bengaluru

• 10 infra projects stuck due to lack of space
• State government agress to transfer its lands of equal value to the defence

Bengaluru: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has agreed to transfer 210 acres of defence land in Bengaluru to the city’s civic body for 10 infrastructure projects, stuck due to space constraints informed an official.

A joint declaration here by Sitharaman and Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy stated that the Karnataka government has, in turn, agreed to transfer its lands of equal value (Rs 322 crore) and size to the defence ministry in lieu of defence lands in 31 locations.

The city’s explosive growth over the last two decades has out-paced the development of commensurate infrastructure, resulting in choc-o-bloc vehicular traffic, congestion, pollution and woeful civic amenities, read the statement.

The infrastructure projects stuck due to space constraints include road widening works, flyovers, elevated corridors and the second phase of the Metro Rail network across the city.

The declaration admitted that the city’s fast growth has led to urgent need to upgrade its basic infrastructure, including roads, flyovers, bridges, under-passes and elevated roads to avert traffic jams and ease congestion,

The defence minister also directed the defence officials to hand over the lands to the city civic body at the earliest so that construction and development of the projects are not delayed.

A joint task force with officials from the defence ministry and the state government will be set up to resolve issues related to the land swap and use. Of the 10 infra projects, the defence land for 8 projects will be permanently transferred to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and permission will be given to use the remaining land for 2 road-over-bridge (ROB) projects on license basis.

“We will wait for the state government to transfer its land to us but not delay the projects for want of our (defence) lands,” informed the Defence Minister and also advised the Chief Minister to get a cabinet resolution passed to ensure the defence requirements in lieu of parting with its land in the interest of public infrastructure works was compensated adequately in a time frame.