BMRCL’s airport link hits land acquisition hurdle

Nischith N | NT

BMRCL’s ambitious plan to provide a metro link to Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) has started taking shape and it had recently commenced preliminary work. The contractor of the elevated metro project has deployed heavy machines to carry out the work at multiple locations. The service road of the National Highway (Bellary Road) that connects the airport has been partially barricaded for the purpose.

But the BMRCL’s plan had hit a hurdle near Nagwara Lake. The metro provider was seeking to acquire 3,340 square metres of land, which is part of the Nagawara Lake, to build the pillars and Kempapura Cross station. It, however, received a NOC for only 1,772 square metres from Karnataka Tank Conservation and Development Authority (KTCDA). Moreover, the land is owned by the Revenue Department and it is yet to be transferred to BMRCL.

“The BMRCL had sought the lake land for erecting pillars and constructing a metro station. However, after the survey, the KTCDA has sought a revised proposal by reducing the extent of the land for construction of the metro station. But it is awaiting clearance from the Revenue Department,” said Chandrappa, GM (land acquisition), BMRCL.

According to the reports, to build an airport line’s Kempapura Cross Station and for rendering the metro corridor towards Bangalore North Taluk, Metro Phase 2B project is in need of 1772.3 square metres of land, falling under Viswanatha Nagenahallu village (survey number 13).

“The above-identified piece of land sought by the BMRCL was found to be falling under the Nagawara lake buffer zone. Despite this, Karnataka Lake Conservation and Development Authority has taken into consideration the mass benefit the BMRCL project is going to deliver and issued a NOC certificate,” says another BMRCL senior official requesting anonymity.

Recently the forest department has also warned the government that the “erroneous” order has drastically shrunk the Nagawara Lake from 103 acres and 3 guntas to 56 acres and 17 guntas. But it was claimed that the lake authority outweighed the benefit of infrastructure for the people versus protection of the lake buffer zone and had permitted BMRCL to use the piece of land.

In a letter with the News Trail, BMRCL MD Mr Anjum Pervez has explained the land sought, the NOC issued by lake authority and has requested the Principal Secretary of the Revenue Department to pass on the ownership of the land to BMRCL to commence the work, which is still on hold.

“A walking path and other structures have already come up on the bund. We will carry on the work only at the place where we have received NOC and construction will be carried out by ensuring that the lake is not affected. This particular station will not have a parking facility,” Chandrappa further added.

Reacting on the issue, J, Manjunath, Bengaluru Urban DC said, “We have received the letter from the BMRCL MD regarding Nagawara Lake line and this will be cleared in some days.”