The state government has drastically reduced the land allocated to the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) for the Hebbal transport hub project. From an earlier proposed 45 acres, the allotment has now been scaled down to just nine acres, raising alarms over the future viability of comprehensive multimodal infrastructure in the region. The change was approved during a recent high-level committee meeting, where senior officials endorsed BMRCL’s revised request to acquire only a fifth of the originally planned land from the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
The decision, perceived as a retreat under pressure from powerful political and real estate lobbies, has stirred criticism from within the bureaucracy as well as civic advocacy circles. Initially conceived as a major mobility node connecting metro, bus, and future rail transit lines, the Hebbal transport hub was envisioned to support a dedicated depot, multilevel parking facilities, and commuter amenities such as last-mile services and modal interchanges. However, the reduced land footprint now rules out most of these long-term infrastructure components, potentially weakening the public transport integration plan for northern Bengaluru.
According to officials, the original 45-acre proposal had included a Rs 500 crore compensation offer from BMRCL to KIADB for securing the land, which was acquired more than two decades ago for a stalled tourism initiative. Urban transport strategists argue that compromising such a key land bank for commercial real estate ventures sets a worrying precedent in a city already struggling with transit capacity and land-use conflicts. Sources said the remaining 36 acres are now likely to be opened up for private development, including high-rise office towers, premium housing, and hospitality projects. With the city’s airport metro line expected to pass through Hebbal in the near future, the absence of supporting infrastructure such as park-and-ride facilities could severely hamper the commuter experience.
Insiders in the government acknowledged the mounting pressure on urban land and commercial interests but stressed that the final decision followed a formal proposal from BMRCL itself. However, senior urban officials have termed the development a lost opportunity for sustainable growth. “We are turning our backs on what could have been a model mobility corridor for Bengaluru,” remarked one expert involved in the earlier planning phase. The revised plan has sparked calls for greater transparency in urban infrastructure decisions, especially those involving critical transit nodes. With Hebbal already facing congestion and high traffic volumes, the dilution of the metro hub vision has raised questions on the government’s commitment to sustainable and inclusive urban transport.
As the BMRCL prepares to formalise the new land transfer, the focus now shifts to how the reduced parcel will be optimised to meet essential commuter needs. In the absence of robust infrastructure planning, experts warn that Bengaluru risks reinforcing its car-centric growth model at the cost of future-ready transit solutions.
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