BDA plans 11 PRR layouts; land pooling proposed amid land acquisition hurdles

A senior official stated there is a proposal to pursue land pooling to develop layouts along PRR, with ideas for larger plots and vertical growth in apartments.

Ashwin Mahesh, an urban infrastructure expert, said that developing a road in isolation is insufficient and must be paired with an area development plan. He supported land pooling as the most feasible option if it is linked to the PRR, noting that current models risk allowing a few landowners to halt the project.

A senior official said under land pooling, owners would get nearly 19,000 sq ft of developed land per acre, roughly double the current 40:60 compensation package. There is also a proposal to opt for larger plots and go for vertical growth in these apartments, rather than individual sites.

There is a proposal to adopt a land pooling model for these PRR layouts to prevent land acquisition. Under land pooling, landowners give up land parcels and, after development, receive the rest of their land back in a developed form. Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh have implemented this model.

Srinivas, a resident of Mavallipura, said farmers oppose land acquisition for any layout in their village. Farmers’ leader Kodihalli Chandrashekhar criticized BDA as acting like a real estate broker and warned of a legal battle once layouts are notified.

The BDA plans to develop 11 layouts along the Peripheral Ring Road—five along Phase 1 and six along Phase 2. The PRR carriageway has been reduced to 65 metres, with 35 metres earmarked for commercial development. Phase 1 layouts will span 30 villages, and Phase 2 layouts will cover 20 villages. Landowners oppose the acquisitions, and farmers are awaiting a preliminary notification to challenge before the Karnataka High Court.