Delay in TDR policy holds up work on Namma Metro

The State government’s policy on Transferable Development Rights (TDR) has been in the pipeline for nearly two years and the delay has held up widening of the crucial Bannerghatta Road.

This many fear, may also delay construction of the Namma Metro line on this route. BMRCL has already notified over 270 properties on the road to building six metro stations in Phase II. A senior BMRCL official said, “We are in the process of paying compensation.”

“But metro work can be started only after widening the road. Though the metro line goes underground after Dairy Circle, a long stretch of Bannerghatta Road is elevated,” said Sanjeev V. Dyamannanavar, urban commute expert.

The road widening plan includes a three-metre wide median for the Namma Metro line.

The Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has finalised the technical bid for the road widening tender, which saw six bidders qualify in December 2016. However, it is yet to finalise the financial bid as it is waiting for the new TDR policy, sources said.

A total of 405 properties has to be acquired for widening the road. As per the new policy, those who will lose property due to development projects will be given the land that is twice the value of their original property.

The new TDR policy is mired in red tape. It can come into effect once the government notifies the rules for an amendment to the Karnataka Town and Country Planning (Amendment) Act, 2015. The file is pending with the Urban Development Department for more than a year. This delay has adversely affected several projects, including the widening of Bannerghatta Road.

Yet, attempts are afoot to bring in another amendment to overhaul the TDR policy. While the July 2015 bill changed the TDR to two times the value of the land given up, sources in the industry spoke of making it three times. Sources said that the minister recently held a series of meetings to discuss this issue.

Mahendra Jain, additional chief secretary, UDD, told The Hindu that the department is working towards notifying rules for the TDR policy amendment in the coming week. “There are suggestions to make the TDR policy more attractive by increasing the compensation through TDR to three times of the value of the land given up. This will need another amendment to the Act, which will be considered at a later stage,” he said adding that they are in the final stages of notifying the rules to speed up public projects.

Mr. Dyamannanavar said that the metro work includes dismantling the Jayadeva flyover, which will put additional load on Bannerghatta Road that can be handled only if the road is widened.

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