Shivaram Karanth Layout: DK Shivakumar Distributes Compensation, Urges Farmers Not to Sell Plots
Bengaluru: Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Monday distributed land compensation to farmers and landowners who gave up land for the Dr K. Shivaram Karanth Layout, saying he understood the pain of losing property as the son of a farmer and wanted to reduce the hardship faced by affected families.
Speaking at the compensation distribution programme at the Nehru Planetarium, Shivakumar advised landowners not to sell the plots allotted to them, saying their value could rise significantly in the coming years. He said plots were being allotted at the same location to those who had sought sites in their own land, with the process intended to prevent farmers from having to run from office to office or pay bribes.
Shivakumar said efforts to provide compensation had begun three years ago and applications had been invited, but court stays delayed relief to landowners. He said a stay was also issued when applications were to be invited for site allotment, resulting in an annual loss of Rs 1,000 crore to the government.
The Chief Minister announced that the names of 3,200 farmers who contributed land for the Shivaram Karanth Layout would be inscribed on a ‘Wall of Gratitude’ in recognition of their contribution.
He said Rs 16,000 crore had been invested in developing the layout and that the process had passed through years of legal and administrative issues. Land acquisition matters had gone through a single-judge Bench and a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court before reaching the Supreme Court, following which the BDA continued acquisition and development in accordance with court directions and government orders.
Shivakumar said private developers could provide 55% of land as sites, while the government, after providing what he described as high-quality roads and public amenities, could provide only 42%. Preparations had been made to allot developed sites equivalent to 40% per acre to landowners, he said.
Referring to Bengaluru’s expansion, Shivakumar said successive governments had contributed to the creation of layouts around the city, citing Arkavathy, Kempegowda and Shivaram Karanth layouts. He recalled that former Chief Minister H.D. Deve Gowda had proposed an industrial town in Bidadi, where land was acquired from farmers after discussions at around Rs 5 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per acre. He also said a proposal for a Japan township at a location notified during former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy’s tenure was dropped following opposition.
Shivakumar said Bengaluru’s population had grown from around eight lakh during the tenure of former Chief Minister Kengal Hanumanthaiah to about 1.5 crore. He said around 60 lakh people travel into Bengaluru every day, while 30,000 to 50,000 people from areas including Kolar, Ramanagara, Channapatna, Tumakuru, Magadi, Kunigal, Maddur and Mandya had moved to the city. He also said 11 lakh people from the northeastern states had come to Bengaluru seeking employment and that the city now had 1.40 crore vehicles, while its road network had not expanded proportionately.
He said widening existing roads by demolishing buildings on either side was not feasible and cited the Bengaluru Business Corridor as part of efforts to address traffic congestion. According to Shivakumar, the corridor is being developed with Rs 26,000 crore in borrowings.
The Chief Minister said the Shivaram Karanth Layout had been developed over 3,700 acres and around three crore square feet of sites were being distributed to farmers. He said delays since 2008 had increased costs and that more time was required for the auction process for corner sites.
On compensation for future land acquisition, Shivakumar said existing provisions required old rates to be paid when land was acquired for the BDA, but the government wanted to prevent injustice to farmers. He said a proposal had been placed before the Cabinet to offer compensation at twice the guidance value, double TDR, or alternatives including 35% commercial sites, FAR or 40% developed land. He claimed the compensation offered was the highest in the country.
He said tenders had been called for the peripheral road, work was progressing up to Kogilu and consent had been obtained for 80% of the land acquisition. Once the road was completed, he said, property values in the area would double.
Shivakumar also used the occasion to target political rivals over the history of the Shivaram Karanth Layout. He said the preliminary notification for the project was issued in 2008 and alleged that farmers had then faced situations where they had to pay bribes when losing their land. Without naming anyone, he questioned those who describe themselves as ‘sons of farmers’, saying the notification had been issued during their tenure and alleging that while their own land around Bengaluru had been protected, other farmers’ land was acquired.
He further alleged that before he assumed responsibility, the BDA had effectively become a ‘Broker Development Authority’, and said the present compensation programme was aimed at ensuring farmers did not have to make repeated visits to offices or pay bribes.
Shivakumar described the Shivaram Karanth project as a good layout and said it may not be possible to develop another layout of this kind in future. He told landowners that they would be able to obtain their documents without further problems and urged them to make prudent use of the opportunity.
The Chief Minister also outlined a proposed ‘Teak Prosperity’ initiative under which at least one crore teak saplings would be planted annually. He said the government would provide the saplings while farmers would be responsible for maintaining them. The programme was being planned with a 25-year horizon, he said, adding that teak was valued at Rs 7,500 per square foot and that 70% of the returns would go to farmers and 30% to the government.
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