Govt not to acquire Palace Grounds land for road widening

The state government has dropped plans to acquire 16 acres of land belonging to Mysuru's erstwhile royal family for a road-widening project in Bengaluru.

The property was to be acquired for two arterial roads leading to the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA). The government has instead directed the BBMP to redesign the congested parts of Ballari Road (BDA Junction-Mehkri Circle) and Jayamahal Road by maintaining a uniform carriageway.

In an order issued on Dec 8, 2022, the government decided not to go ahead with the land acquisition on two grounds.

Also Read: Cabinet approves Intermediary Ring Road project

One, there was a dispute over the ownership of 15 acres and 39 guntas of Bangalore Palace land. Secondly, issuing transferable development rights (TDR) in exchange for the custody of the land could be "against the interest of the government".

The order, a copy of which has been seen by DH, was issued after Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai chaired a meeting with senior officers including technical and legal advisors.

In a meeting in September, it was brought to the notice of Bommai that the total value of the TDR certificate, given instead of cash compensation, is Rs 1,396 crore. As the dispute over the ownership of palace land has not been resolved, the government decided to drop the two road-widening projects that require the palace property.

The dispute over the acquisition of the palace land dates back to 1996. The matter was heard in the High Court and the Supreme Court. In May, the apex court rejected the state government's appeal against its previous order for compensation to the erstwhile royal family.

On the government's orders, the BBMP has decided to decongest the stretch without widening the roads. “We are preparing a feasibility study and a detailed project report to decongest Ballari Road by building grade separators. Experts are working on the plan,” BBMP Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath said.