Bengaluru: Land Acquisition Problems Hurt Namma Metro’s Phase 2 Project  

Post the success of Phase 1 of Bengaluru’s Namma Project project, the same script was expected for Phase 2. However, to one’s surprise, Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) reveals that land acquisition is still pending in the ongoing work on the six metro sections under Phase 2.

Only a little over one-third of land required has been acquired by BMRCL and it needs to acquire about 131 hectares and 3,011 properties more for Phase 2. "We have purchased 74 hectares and 1,790 properties so far," said a senior BMRCL official, reports Times of India.

Phase 2 is expected to be accessible by 2023, except for the airport line. A majority of the land required will be used to build stations, viaducts and set up depots to dock and maintain trains. The delay in execution has also increased the costs involved in the project. An official stated that the land acquisition costs have risen from Rs 2,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore.

“We have to acquire about 35,000 sqm of land from Byappanahalli to Jyothipura from 34 properties. KIADB has now initiated payment and the issue will be settled in 15 days. The remaining properties like the 11 acres required for the Anjanapura depot (9.5 acres of private land and 1.5 acres from the forest department) and land in Hebbagodi, Singasandra, Hongasandra, Beratena Agrahara and Doddathoguru and Kothanur will be acquired in another two months. The land between Jindal and BIEC stations will also be acquired shortly," an official said.

Despite the efforts, sources have said that the land acquisition could take some time. “We have to acquire 403 sqm (in two parcels) from Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE),” an official said. “It was government property that was handed over to NICE for about 30 years, but now talks are on to reacquire it. This could take time to resolve.”