On November 4, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) appointed eight new land acquisition officers to speed up the land acquisition process for the ambitious 73-kilometre corridor. Additionally, new offices will be set up at Yelahanka and in three other locations near the 76 villages from which land will be acquired.

A meeting to review the project’s progress was held with L.K. Atheeq, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister and Chairman of the Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed for the BBC, alongside Vice-Chairman N.A. Harris. The meeting included senior BDA officials and the Deputy Commissioners of Rural and Urban Bengaluru, focusing on streamlining land acquisition and addressing the project's current challenges.

One such challenge is the slow transfer of government land. A 2022 government order mandates the BDA receive 193 acres of land for the project at no cost, but the handover has been delayed. Officials are urging Deputy Commissioners to expedite the process to avoid further setbacks.

Compensation for over 4,000 affected landowners is also a key concern. The land in these areas has been divided among multiple families over time, complicating the identification of rightful recipients. To ease the process, the BDA plans to set up new offices closer to the acquisition sites, ensuring residents do not need to travel to the BDA head office for compensation matters.

The BDA aims to complete the land acquisition and compensation processes within the next six months. Construction tenders will be issued only once funding and land acquisition are finalised.

The Rs 270 billion project will span 2,560 acres and connect Tumakuru Road to Hosur Road, passing through major roads including Doddaballapur, Bellary, and Old Madras Roads. Designed to alleviate traffic congestion and improve connectivity around Bengaluru’s periphery, the corridor will pass through 10 major junctions and more than 100 minor intersections.

The plan includes 16 flyovers, 10 overpasses, and 12 underpasses, enhancing the city’s transportation network. Notably, seven bridges will be built over water bodies like Chikkatogur, Gunjur, and Jarakabande Lakes. To address traffic complexities, the corridor will feature six cloverleaf-type overbridges for efficient crisscrossing without congestion.

The main eight-lane carriageway will be flanked by service roads and a broad median, which could later integrate with Bengaluru’s metro system. The project covers 65.95 km between Hosur Road and Tumakuru Road, with additional links near Madanayakanahalli and Hebbagodi to ensure smooth integration with the city’s Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) network. (Swaragrajmagazine)