BANGALORE: Faced with severe criticism for auctioning its lands recovered from encroachers, the State Government has decided to set aside around 500 acres of such land for housing purposes.

The Government has offered the land to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA). Out of this, the planning authority has chosen about 350 acres as suitable for development and rejected the rest.

Speaking to The Hindu, BDA Commissioner M.K. Shankarlinge Gowda said the land had been chosen based on its proximity to the city centre. "We have written to Principal Secretary (Revenue) S.M. Jamadar that we will develop 356 acres of land offered to us."

When asked why the remaining land had been rejected, Mr. Gowda said they were far from the city centre. "We have chosen only land situated some 15 to 20 km from Majestic. After all, we need to attract people to buying these sites and houses," he said.

The land to be developed is located around the upcoming Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) in Bangalore North, East, South, Anekal and North (Additional) taluks. As much as 20 per cent of the land would be reserved for economically weaker sections, Mr. Gowda said.

The BDA will take up housing projects in these areas under joint partnership with private builders. This project will follow the scheme of development similar to the one proposed for budget housing where the BDA plans to build two lakh houses.

Under this work plan, private companies will be given land by the BDA and they have to look after the maintenance of the houses for the next 30 years. Maintenance includes providing basic services such as water and sanitation and also the upkeep of the building.

Advertisements calling for bids would be out soon, Mr. Gowda said.

On the move to set aside land for housing, M.A. Sadiq, Deputy Commissioner (Bangalore Urban District), said that this was part of the Government's plan to provide housing for the poor. "The land that the BDA does not want will be given to other housing agencies such as the Karnataka Housing Board," he said.

Stating that the priority was to give land to government departments, Mr. Sadiq said that he had written to the Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation, Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Bangalore Rural Zilla Panchayat and other agencies asking them to submit requests on their land requirements.

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