Whitefield Metro eyes 137 prime properties

Mar 19, 2015, Bangalore

With the arrival of the new financial year, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has begun accepting payment of property tax for the current assessment year 2015-16. To facilitate easy payment of tax, the BBMP has given the option of online, as well as different modes of payment offline as well. 
 
This leaves the stretch between the hospital and Kadugodi for properties to be identified for acquisition. The 137 properties totaled 35,577 square metres of area. The list of the properties identified has been sent to Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB) to come out with a notification for the property acquisition.
 
Of the properties identified, a majority belong to private owners. A BMRCL official said that out of the properties identified 87 would be partially demolished to make way for the elevated structure. BMRCL has decided to remove all the existing high-tension towers erected on the median of the roads to minimise the land acquisition while running the cables underground.
 
The official said among the prominent properties identified is a portion of Karnataka Trade Promotions Organization. The identification of properties in the stretch had turned controversial after some of the tech park managements objected to the partial acquisition their properties citing that it would hamper their business.
 
One of the managements suggested that BMRCL take over the some properties of the existing BMTC's Transport Transit and Management Centre (TTMC) at the circle to avoid acquisition of their land.
 
However, the BMRCL turned that down citing that it would be against the public interest. However, BMRCL will acquire a compound wall of the TTM C to build the elevated structure. "The acquisition of properties will be done once KIADB comes out with the final notification with the government approval. A committee is looking into the award of compensation to the owners of the properties identified. It will also identify the cost of the buildings identified."?
 
The BMRCL had earlier asked KIADB to start the process of acquiring land till Mahadevpura.
 
The extension line between Baiyappanahalli and Whitefield will have 14 stations on the 15.50 kilometer stretch. The extension of the Metro network starts from the southern side of the Bengaluru -Chennai Railway line. It then heads to Kasturinagar Road and Outer Ring Road and reaches Old Madras Road. Thereafter the alignment reaches Whitefield Road and runs along the median of Whitefield Road and then on to the median of Graphite India Road. The BMRCL has a plan to build the last Metro station at Whitefield after the Ujwala Vidyalaya station.
 
Following protests from techies, the BMRCL had decided to widen the road in the Mahadevpura area to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic.
 
PROMINENT STATIONS
 
Baiyappanahalli, KR Puram, Narayanapura, Mahadevapura, Garudacharyapalya, Doddanakundi, Vishvesharaiah Industrial Estate, Kundalahalli, Vydehi Hospital, Satya Sai Medical Institute, ITPL, Kadugodi, Ujwala Vidyalaya and Whitefield.