Denotifications turn Arkavathy into a maze

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BDA, consultants clueless about land available for formation of layout

The Arkavathy Layout imbroglio appears to be deepening over time, with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) creating a maze with unabated denotifications and little knowledge as to how they can form the Layout at the earliest.

As reported earlier by Deccan Herald, the BDA is trying to re-form the layout to accommodate the 8,813 site allottees minus the denotified land.

However, with little knowledge of providing a ‘planned’ layout, the BDA appears to be at a loss in providing alternative sites in the layout to the allottees.

While suggestions have been pouring in to ‘rehabilitate’ the site owners by shifting them to another place, local political pressure has prevailed to ensure that they are not shifted.

“The BDA has not been able to control the reckless denotification of land meant for the formation of the layout. The third party consultants who have been entrusted with the task of forming the layout in the available land, have been unable to even start work.

Their preliminary suggestion was to shift the site allottees to another  place, but even that has been shot down,” said an official, who is privy to the information on land allocation for the layout.

Tandon Urban Solutions Private Limited (TUSPL), the third party consultants hired for forming the layout, do not have any information on the final extent of land available for the formation of the layout.

“The BDA could not provide a clear picture about the extent of land with which we can plan the layout. It has become a jigsaw puzzle now,” said an official from the consultancy.

With the persistent delay in the formation of the layout, the BDA is likely to have invested at least Rs 1,000 crore, since 2004 till the Arkavathy Layout was offered to the citizens.

Land available

As per the last known figures on the extent of land available for the formation of Arkavathy Layout, only 227 acres and 64 guntas have been allocated to the 8, 813 site allottees.

The BDA has another 1, 326 acres and 78 guntas available for planning the rest of the layout, including that portion which has been ‘encroached’ upon by people despite the land being notified.