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    Alternative road to airport in Bengaluru runs into land trouble

    Synopsis

    The alternative road, which connects the eastern part of Bengaluru to the airport via Bagalur and Begur, was supposed to be ready a couple of months ago.

    ET Bureau
    BENGALURU: Non-payment of compensation to landowners has come in the way of building the last three kilometres of the alternative road from the city to the Kempegowda International airport.

    The alternative road, which connects the eastern part of Bengaluru to the airport via Bagalur and Begur, was supposed to be ready a couple of months ago. The state government had laid the foundation stone for the project in March, with a promise to complete it in three months.

    A field visit, how ever, shows that the project could take an indefinite period of time as the Public Works Department ­ which is building the road ­ is yet to take possession of the land.

    Though the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) identified land, the government has not released funds to compensate farmers who parted with their land."We are only a land-acquiring body .The Infrastructure Development Department (IDD) and Public Works Department (PWD) has not released funds," PV Poornima, special land acquisition officer, at KIADB told ET. To widen the existing road and build the new road, the KIADB was required to acquire 16.39 acres in Begur, Chikkanahalli, Mylanahalli and Bettahalli. "We have disbursed compensation to 35 of the 101 farmers from whom the land will be acquired. While Rs 10 crore is already paid, we require Rs 45 crore more. The KIADB has fixed Rs 3.64 crore per acre," she added.

    The road, without asphalting, was kept open for a couple of weeks during Aero India 2017. The PWD had to stop work due to a vigilant group of protesting farmers. "We will not allow them to continue the work unless compensation is made. Why did the department award contract to build the road when money was not paid?" Avinash BA, one of the farmers, asked. M Lakshminarayana, principal secretary, PWD said once the land issues are resolved, the department would be able to complete the civil work in a month's time.

    Beku Beda Santhe on October 15

    Citizens for Bengaluru, a pressure group, will host "Beku Beda santhe" to commemorate one year of the #Steel FlyoverBeda campaign. The event, planned for October 15, will highlight what the people of Bengaluru want and what they do not require in the context of infrastructure projects.The organisers, who successfully ran a campaign against the Rs 1,800-crore steel flyover project, are vociferously demanding a full-fledged suburban rail network.


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