Karnataka BJP questions Congress decision to slash land allocation for Metro and sell it ‘cheap’ to builders

In Karnataka, a controversy has erupted over reports of the Congress government planning to transfer 45 acre Hebbal prime land to private builders. The Bhartiya Janata Party has alleged that the CM Siddaramaiah-led government is “auctioning the future of Bangloreans” by colluding with real estate mafias, estimating a loss of Rs 1,728 crore public money. 

Taking to X on 13th August, BJP’s Karnataka unit called Congress “Scamgress” and said, “Congress is auctioning Bengaluru’s future. Metro needed 45 acres for a multi-modal hub. Congress cut it to 9 acres & handed 37 acres to builders at ₹12.1cr/acre vs ₹60+ cr market rate. Public loss: ₹1,728 crore. Real estate mafia aka Congress wins, Bengalureans lose.”

The BJP questioned the Congress based on a Deccan Herald report, which says that the Karnataka Industries Area Development Board (KIADB) has “initiated the process of issuing a demand notice to Lake View Tourism Corporation, a private entity, for compensating the original landowners.”

The report says that Bengaluru Metro is set to lose control over 45 acres of prime land in Hebbal due to KIADB’s move. It added that despite Lake View Tourism Corporation’s failure to pay compensation for 20 years, KIADB’s notice would legitimise the corporation’s contested claim over the land.

Citing sources, the DH report says that the notice seeks payment of Rs 12.10 crore per acre for 37 acres, amounting to a total of Rs 448 crore, adding that this price was fixed about two-and-a-half years ago when the government extended the corporation’s expired lease agreement. Currently, the KIADB controls this land. 

Meanwhile, the landowners are outraged over the low compensation payouts since the current market value in Hebbal is no less than Rs 60 crore per acre.

In March this year, the Congress government allegedly bowed down before the real estate lobby and slashed Namma Metro’s demand for 45 acre land to just 9 acres. The BJP had opposed this decision and demanded that the entire 45 acre land in question should be allocated for Metro’s depot. However, despite public outrage, and requirement of land for reducing Metro’s operational costs and improve frequency on the proposed Hebbal–Sarjapura Metro line, the Congress government allocated only 9 acres land to Bengaluru Metro. 

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in Karnataka Legislative Assembly, R Ashoka called the Congress government a “Builder Sarkara”. He alleged that the Siddaramiah government is “gifting” Metro’s land to builders.

“Congress Sarkara = Builder Sarkara Land for Metro stolen, gift-wrapped for builders!The @INCKarnataka government has betrayed Bengaluru once again. Instead of using the 45 acres in Hebbal for a Metro depot – which would have reduced costs and improved frequency for lakhs of commuters – they have handed over prime public land to private builders at throwaway prices. This is not governance, this is daylight robbery. A private company that defaulted for 20 years is now being rewarded with land worth hundreds of crores, while Namma Metro and the people of Bengaluru are left stranded,” Ashoka wrote on X.

“Even MPs urged the government to allocate the land for Metro, but the Congress chose to serve their builder friends over public interest. Why this special love for defaulters and real estate lobby?@BJP4Karnataka  will expose this loot of public land and fight to ensure that Bengaluru’s future is not sold off for political kickbacks,” the BJP leader added.