BMRCL seeks BBMP land for seven Metro stations

BENGALURU: The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation (BMRCL) has begun acquiring BBMP land for seven Metro stations under Phase 2.
BMRCL officials said they require BBMP land under permanent basis for stations like Dairy Circle (2,950 sqm), Langford Town (914 sqm), Vellara (1,209 sqm), Shivajinagar (1,748 sqm), Cantonment at Bamboo Bazaar (4,152 sqm), Pottery Town (5,872 sqm) and Isro (1,535 sqm).It has also sought land at Shivajinagar (11,893 sqm), Cantonment (9,806 sqm), Pottery Town (9,292 sqm) on a temporary basis.
While the Isro Metro station is on the Silk Board-KR Puram route, other stations are along the Gottigere-Nagawara line. In fact, Metro has started work on underground sections from Vellara Junction to Shivajinagar (2.7km) and Shivajinagar to Pottery Town (2.8km).
Sources say the Palike has been asked to hand over the land sought by BMRCL and resolve the issues. In Tasker Town, Shivajinagar, a BBMP higher primary school has been shifted to a nearby high school. Also, a BangaloreOne centre in the locality was demolished and land was handed over to BMRCL. Mohammed Sufiyan, an activist in Shivajinagar, said the BangaloreOne centre was built only a year ago. “The BMRCL had issued a notification in March 2016 about acquiring this place. Then why was this centre build? It’s a complete waste of public money,” he said.
BMRCL, along with BBMP, will also evict 23 shops in Meenakshi Koil Street in Shivajinagar for Metro work. Abdul Hafeez, a shopkeeper, said: “We have been paying taxes to the civic body all these years. In fact, only a few days ago the BMRCL gave us notice to vacate the place. We don’t know where to go. So far, they have not made any alternative arrangements. Our livelihood will be affected if they shift us from here.”
An Ambedkar statue at William Town Park in Pottery Town that will be relocated for Metro work.
BBMP officials, however, said that lease for these shops hadn’t been renewed and their occupation was treated as unauthorised. Shopkeepers will be evicted and land will be handed over to BMRCL, they added.
At Bamboo Bazaar, a deaf and dumb school on BBMP land will be shifted to another place. The BMRCL has, however, said the BBMP land currently occupied by potters in Pottery Town won’t be required for the time being as additional land at Cantonment station has been earmarked and will be handed over to the contractor. The temple and Ambedkar statue at SK Garden William Town Park will be relocated. “Please evacuate the premises as BMRCL has acquired land for Metro construction work…,” reads a poster pasted on the temple premises.
At Isro station, a part of the land belonging to a park formed by the LRDE Employees Co-operative Housing Society Layout has to be handed over to BMRCL for Metro work.