Arkavathy Layout extension to come up on 450 acres

The State government has given the green signal for extension of Arkavathy Layout in north Bengaluru.

A Government Order dated February 24 states that the Arkavathy Extension Layout will come up on 450 acres 15.5 guntas in Kattigenahalli, Kogilu, Mittaganahalli, Srinivasapura, Baiyappanahalli, Bellahalli, and Sathanuru. According to the order, 45% of land per acre will be reserved for civic amenities, and 55% for residential sites. Farmers will get 9,583 sq.ft. of developed site for every acre acquired for the layout. The order also specifies that the BDA will develop the extended layout with its own funds.

The extension comes in the wake of the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Commissioner writing to the government about a shortage of land for sites to allottees. BDA Commissioner H.R. Mahadev told The Hindu that the extension would primarily benefit allottees who lost out on sites owing to denotification as well as land-losers. “With the allottees and farmers, around 5,000 people will benefit,” he said.

The long saga of the layout had earlier resulted in the BDA leaving out 285 acres of land from the acquisition process for the formation of the Arkavathy Layout in 2013 to comply with a May 5, 2010 order of the Supreme Court. The apex court ordered the denotification of the land after finding out that it had been erroneously notified by including horticultural land, developed residential areas, factories as well as educational and charitable institutions. In 2014, the BDA published a re-modified scheme, leaving out more than 500 acres.

The BDA first notified 4,000 acres for the layout, announced in March 2004, to cater to 20,000 allottees. Plagued by controversies since, the extent of land saw a rapid reduction owing to a series of alleged illegal de-notifications.

Allottees are keeping their fingers crossed. “We only pray it doesn’t go the way of Arkavathy-1. Corruption and court cases have complicated the allotment process beyond repair. We only hope there will be some closure now,” said Shiva Prakash G. from Arkavathy Layout Allottees’ Association, which was formed in 2012.

He added that as of 2006, there were 8,813 allottees. “Many have been given alternative sites at Kempegowda Layout. Even in Arkavathy Layout, developments are not there. Many allotments are for namesake because farmers are not allowing people to step on the land,” he alleged.