In an effort to assist property owners, particularly those with small land holdings in the city, the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has suggested an increase in the transferable development rights (TDR) granted to individuals who surrender their land for road widening and development projects.

Currently, property owners who relinquish their land for development projects receive a TDR equal to twice the amount of land surrendered. The MCC is proposing an enhancement of the TDR, with a scale of 2.5 times for 15-25% land acquisition, three times for more than 25% acquisition, and four times if the owner is unable to utilise the remaining land after acquisition.

The MCC will submit a proposal to the government for necessary amendments to the rules in this regard. Chief whip of the MCC council, Premanand Shetty from the BJP, highlighted the potential benefits of road widening in addressing the narrow roads in the city, ultimately fostering economic and social activities.

As per the existing TDR Rules of 2016, property owners are entitled to a TDR of two times the acquired land. The proposed changes aim to address the challenges faced by those surrendering a significant portion of their land, making it difficult for them to utilise the remaining land for construction. The MCC council, following approval, will forward the proposal to the state government for necessary amendments to the TDR rules.

However, the opposition from the Congress is evident. Corporator AC Vinayaraj from the Congress questions the feasibility of amending TDR rules for a single city corporation, expressing concerns about the legal aspects of the decision made by the Mangaluru City Corporation council.