- Cites issuing TDR as huge burden to exchequer
- No road expansion to Kempegowda Intl. Airport
- Emergency Cabinet meeting at 3 pm today
Bengaluru / Mysuru: The State Government has decided to drop the proposal to widen Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road in Bengaluru, which would have required acquiring parts (about 15 acres) of Bangalore Palace Grounds owned by the erstwhile Royal Family of Mysore. The road widening plan, initially notified 15 years ago, has been deemed unviable due to the Supreme Court’s decision to fix the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) value at approximately Rs. 3,011 crore, a rate on par with market value.
At its Jan. 16 meeting, the Cabinet cited this financial burden as the primary reason for shelving the project. A Cabinet note said, “The Supreme Court rate for the TDR to be given for land acquisition is expected to cause a financial burden on the State exchequer and will harm financial discipline.”
“The TDR will be issued only for 1,217.21 sq.mt. of land acquired for the Jayamahal Road underpass. The remaining land initially intended for road widening, will be returned and funds from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will be utilised to restore the land to its original condition. Additionally, compensation will be provided to the petitioners in accordance with the Supreme Court’s directions issued on Dec. 10, 2024,” the note stated.
The Cabinet also felt that financially unviable projects were against public interest and public policy. An emergency Cabinet meeting scheduled for 3 pm today (Jan. 24) will discuss the implications of the Supreme Court’s ruling and the ownership dispute surrounding the 472-acre Bangalore Palace Grounds.
The State Government, originally set to convene its Cabinet meeting on Jan. 30, rescheduled it to Jan. 24 (today) following the Supreme Court hearing the matter on Jan. 21.
Ordinance route?
The Cabinet is likely to pass an ordinance temporarily overriding the Apex Court’s judgement on TDR, citing the Rs. 3,011 crore compensation as an unmanageable financial burden. Additionally, the Government plans to file an Interim Application before the Supreme Court, seeking an urgent hearing on the validity of the Bangalore Palace Acquisition Act, 1996.
The Government had proposed acquiring approximately 15 acres and 17.5 guntas of Palace Grounds land for the widening of Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road. However, the Apex Court’s Dec. 10, 2024, ruling fixed TDR compensation at Rs. 2.83 lakh per sq. mt for Ballari Road land and Rs. 2.04 lakh per sq. mt for Jayamahal Road land.
With ownership of the 472-acre Palace Grounds still under dispute in the Supreme Court, the Siddaramaiah Government is reluctant to grant TDR compensation, as the State cannot recover it once allocated. The Cabinet’s emergency meeting today is expected to address these concerns.
R. Raja Chandra, a member of the erstwhile Mysore royal family, criticised the State Government’s decision to halt the Ballari Road widening project, claiming it was done solely to avoid issuing TDR.
Writing to Star of Mysore, he accused the Government of intentionally creating difficulties for the royal family and being hostile towards them. “Back in 2009, the acquisition of Palace land was ordered for the public purpose of road widening. Has that purpose been forgotten now?” Raja Chandra questioned, expressing frustration over the Government’s reversal of its earlier decision.
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