BDA tenders 74 km Peripheral Ring Road to ease Bengaluru traffic

01 Feb 2024 CW Team

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) issued a tender, inviting bids for the development of a 74-km Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, costing Rs 270 billion.

The decision to undertake the project was announced by the BDA on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. According to the plan, the PRR road will consist of eight lanes with a service road to Bengaluru city. It will incorporate various features such as cloverleaf junctions, flyovers, underpasses, railway over bridges, railway under bridges, vehicular underpasses or overpasses, toll plazas, transport zones, culverts, minor and major bridges, and utility ducts along and across the road.

The "green corridor" project is set to be executed with the operation and maintenance of the road leased for a period of 50 years on a revenue-sharing basis through the PPP mode. Officials have indicated that the funding required for the acquisition of 2,560 acres of land will also be shared through the PPP mode.

The PRR, designed to alleviate traffic congestion in Bengaluru by facilitating seamless connectivity to the suburbs of Bengaluru, will establish a link between Tumkur Road and Hosur Road via roads passing through Hesaraghatta, Doddaballapur, Ballari, Hennur-Bagalur, Old Madras, Hoskote-Anekal, and Sarjapur.

Since the inception of the PRR proposal in 2006, the project has encountered significant hurdles, particularly concerning land acquisition. In 2022, the Supreme Court exempted the land acquired by the BDA for the PRR from compensation under the 2013 Act.

However, farmers and other affected residents, who lost their land for the project, continue to insist on compensation under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

While the government had initially agreed to compensate the farmers under the BDA Act, landowners argued that it was below market value. They demanded compensation under the provisions of the 2013 Act, as the government had not progressed with the PRR despite notifying and acquiring land since 2006. Unfortunately, tenders for the project floated in July 2022 did not attract any bidders.

Furthermore, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, an NGO, submitted a memorandum to the BDA requesting a comprehensive report on the project, citing concerns that approximately 33,000 trees would be felled for the project.

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) issued a tender, inviting bids for the development of a 74-km Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, costing Rs 270 billion. The decision to undertake the project was announced by the BDA on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) basis. According to the plan, the PRR road will consist of eight lanes with a service road to Bengaluru city. It will incorporate various features such as cloverleaf junctions, flyovers, underpasses, railway over bridges, railway under bridges, vehicular underpasses or overpasses, toll plazas, transport zones, culverts, minor and major bridges, and utility ducts along and across the road. The green corridor project is set to be executed with the operation and maintenance of the road leased for a period of 50 years on a revenue-sharing basis through the PPP mode. Officials have indicated that the funding required for the acquisition of 2,560 acres of land will also be shared through the PPP mode. The PRR, designed to alleviate traffic congestion in Bengaluru by facilitating seamless connectivity to the suburbs of Bengaluru, will establish a link between Tumkur Road and Hosur Road via roads passing through Hesaraghatta, Doddaballapur, Ballari, Hennur-Bagalur, Old Madras, Hoskote-Anekal, and Sarjapur. Since the inception of the PRR proposal in 2006, the project has encountered significant hurdles, particularly concerning land acquisition. In 2022, the Supreme Court exempted the land acquired by the BDA for the PRR from compensation under the 2013 Act. However, farmers and other affected residents, who lost their land for the project, continue to insist on compensation under the provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013. While the government had initially agreed to compensate the farmers under the BDA Act, landowners argued that it was below market value. They demanded compensation under the provisions of the 2013 Act, as the government had not progressed with the PRR despite notifying and acquiring land since 2006. Unfortunately, tenders for the project floated in July 2022 did not attract any bidders. Furthermore, Namma Bengaluru Foundation, an NGO, submitted a memorandum to the BDA requesting a comprehensive report on the project, citing concerns that approximately 33,000 trees would be felled for the project.