Bengaluru’s Peripheral Ring Road-2 Revival Faces Resistance from Landowners in Affected Villages
Bengaluru’s long-delayed Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project has made a controversial comeback in the form of PRR-2, but its revival is stirring uncertainty among landowners and residents. Originally proposed over two decades ago by the former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, PRR-2 was intended to address Bengaluru’s growing traffic congestion by providing improved connectivity across key parts of the city. However, its resumption has now ignited serious concerns from landowners in the affected areas, with many questioning the feasibility and fairness of the project.
The initial notification for the PRR-2 project was issued as early as December 2005, with plans to acquire land from several villages in Bengaluru’s northern region, including Bailakonenahalli, Dombarahalli, Gangondanahalli, Lakshmipura, and others. The project’s goal was to alleviate traffic bottlenecks and provide better connectivity between major roads like Hosur and Tumkur Road, running parallel to the NICE Road. However, despite its early announcement, the project stalled for years due to various reasons, including delays in land acquisition and changes in governmental priorities. Now, with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) reviving the project, several landowners are voicing strong objections. These objections are particularly poignant for those who have since invested significant sums in purchasing plots and constructing homes in these areas.
The resurgence of PRR-2 has triggered an outcry from many landowners, residents, and site holders. For them, the land they bought with hard-earned money or ancestral savings is now at risk of being acquired for the project. With over 150 layouts and approximately 40,000 houses built in the affected villages, many residents feel they have been left in limbo. Residents like Sidde Gowda, a concerned landowner, argue that under the new Land Acquisition Act of 2013, projects delayed for an extended period should be cancelled. The Act replaced the outdated 1894 Land Acquisition Act, which the BDA used to issue notices for the PRR-2. According to legal experts, projects initiated under the old law cannot proceed unless they meet specific timelines. As a result, many landowners are now demanding that the project be scrapped and that they be issued clearance certificates for their properties, arguing that compensation should be based on current market rates.
The PRR-2 is a 73-kilometre stretch of road designed to ease Bengaluru’s traffic woes by linking major arterial roads. The project requires a substantial 2,560 acres of land, with 1,800 acres acquired during the first phase. A preliminary notification for an additional 600 acres was issued in 2022, with land acquisition for the first phase currently in progress. While the development of the PRR-2 offers clear benefits, such as reduced congestion and improved connectivity, the project’s impact on residents has raised pertinent questions. How were housing layouts approved and properties sold in areas already designated for land acquisition? Many residents argue that they were misled by the authorities and are now questioning the accountability of the BDA for permitting residential development in these survey numbers after the initial 2005 notification.
Another key concern raised by landowners is the compensation process. With real estate prices in the affected areas increasing dramatically in the past two decades, landowners worry that compensation will be calculated at outdated rates. For instance, in 2005, a 30×40 plot in the area was worth around Rs 4 lakh, but today, that same plot could fetch upwards of Rs 40-50 lakh. Many residents, including Shivu from Lakshmipura, point out that they have invested their life savings into homes equipped with utilities like electricity and water connections, and now face the prospect of losing it all. While the revival of Bengaluru’s Peripheral Ring Road-2 is expected to improve the city’s infrastructure and ease traffic congestion, the road to its completion is fraught with challenges. Landowners in the affected areas face uncertainty about their future, with many seeking clarity on compensation and the legitimacy of the project under modern laws. As the BDA moves forward with the project, a delicate balance must be struck between development and the rights of the residents who have invested in these areas over the past two decades.
