The State government had notified the Bangalore Palace Grounds land for widening the traffic-heavy Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Over 15 years after notifying the Bangalore Palace Grounds land for widening the traffic-heavy Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road, the Karnataka government has decided to drop the proposal to acquire the palace land. The reason cited is that the Transferable Development Rights (TDR) value fixed by the Supreme Court has made the acquisition unviable. The value of TDR is estimated to be around ₹3,011 crore based on the rate fixed by the Supreme Court.

While the Cabinet on Thursday decided to file an interim application before the Supreme Court seeking urgent hearing of the validity of the Bangalore Palace Acquisition Act, 1996, it has also decided to drop the land acquisition, it has come to light.

The decision was made in the light of contempt proceedings coming up in the court.

Though the Cabinet has decided not to acquire the land, the government has decided to provide TDR for 1,217.41 square metres that has been utilised already for the construction of Jayamahal underpass. The value of this TDR is estimated to be ₹24.83 crore. The unutilised land will be returned.

Financial discipline

“The Supreme Court rate for the TDR to be given for land acquisition is expected to cause financial burden on the State exchequer and will have adverse impact on financial discipline,” a Cabinet note said. The Cabinet also felt that financially unviable projects are against public interest and public policy.

The Supreme Court has fixed ₹2,83,500 per square metre on Ballari Road and ₹2,04,000 per square metre on Jayamahal Road as the TDR. The total value of the TDR to be given to the erstwhile royal family is estimated to be ₹3,011.66 crore for 15 acres and 17.5 guntas or about 62,475.27 square metres that was notified to be acquired in 2009.

Interestingly, the Bangalore Development Authority, in 2024, fixed ₹120.68 per square metre that would amount to about ₹11 crore for the sprawling 472 acres. The calculation was based on the 1996 value of the land when the Palace Acquisition Act came into force.

Acknowledging the development, sources said that the State government’s decision would be conveyed to the court when the contempt hearing comes up. Though the case came for hearing on Wednesday, it was directed that the case be placed before the Bench that issued the order on December 10, 2024.

The Cabinet also felt that the TDR for 62,475.27 square metres will be utilised in the central areas of Bengaluru, which is expected to throw urban planning in disarray and result in choking of traffic.

“In case, the Supreme Court rules the Palace Acquisition Act in the government’s favour, the sold TDR can neither be taken back nor cancelled,” the Cabinet felt.

‘No outgo’

Meanwhile, Raja Chandra Urs, son-in-law of the last Maharaja of Mysore Jayachamaraja Wadiyar, asked how the TDR would burden the State exchequer. “There is no outgo from the exchequer. They are wilfully creating problems for the family and have remained hostile.”

“In 2009, acquisition was ordered for public purpose. Now has that purpose been forgotten?” he asked.

Alternative proposal

Though acquisition of the palace land has been dropped, the road widening project is still under consideration with an initial proposal being made to acquire certain land on the opposite side of the palace ground, both on Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road, with little change to the alignment.

“Here are lot of land parcels belonging to the government that will make acquisition cheaper and easier also. Since the alignment could get changed, the TDR proposal can be dropped,” government sources said.

Sources said that the proposal to acquire parcels of private land is expected to cost less that ₹1,000 crore and will extend beyond the Hebbal flyover. An estimated two lakh persons commute on the road per hour during peak hours and around 60,000 during the off peak hours.

Sources said that with the tunnel project also gaining momentum, it was thought that traffic congestion on Ballari Road is expected to reduce, and that there will be no need for road widening.