Bangalore Development Authority sold prime land for a pittance

Is there anyone in the city who can sell a square foot of land for six rupees and eighty-seven paise? If you are one of those who firmly believe that selling one square foot of land at such low price is impossible, you have to change your notion because the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has proved that it can happen.

According to BM Shivakumar, president, Jayaprakashnarayan Vichara Vedike and RTI activist, the BDA had sold 2 acres and 35 guntas of land (1,25,235 sq ft) worth around Rs100 crore at its layout situated at Banashankari 5th stage for just Rs 8,60,675 to its employees’ welfare association.

“The BDA even registered the land on June 4. The BDA gets only six rupees and eight seven paise per sq ft of land. Is there any layout in the world where land is available at such a cheaper price?” asked Shivakumar.

According to him, the BDA had been purchasing land for the formation of Kempe Gowda Layout from farmers by paying Rs 80 lakh to Rs 1 crore per acre. “A sq ft of land at Banashankari 5th stage commands Rs 7,000. Selling of land at such a lower price indicates the new government’s in the state towards BDA,’’ he said.

The state government had allocated 42 acres of land in 2006 to form a layout for 712 employees of BDA at Doddabidarukallu and Lingadheeranahalli. The BDA had formed the layout that consists thousands of 15x40, 20x40, 30x40 and 40x60 sq ft sites.

“The layout should have more than 250 residential sites after allotting sites to 712 BDA employees. Instead of enquiring about the status of those 250 excess sites, where was the need for the BDA to allocate the land worth crores of rupees for just Rs 8,60,675?’’ he questioned.

As of now, around 20 BDA employees have been waiting for allotment of sites for the last seven years and among them three employees retired and four died. “What has happened to the excess sites? I want Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take action immediately,’’ he said.