74-Km Bangalore Peripheral Ring Road: BDA's New Land Sharing Plan To Revive ₹27,000 Crore PRR Project

To revive the stalled ₹27,000-crore Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project in Bangalore, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has introduced a novel approach to incentivize land-losing farmers by offering them a significant portion of the developed land.

The project, which has been delayed since its proposal in 2007, has faced several challenges, including the acquisition of 2,560 acres of land at a cost of ₹21,000 crore. The BDA has now approved a new plan to overcome these hurdles.

Under the new proposal, the road will be constructed on only 50 meters of the proposed 100-meter width, with the remaining 50 meters developed and handed over to the land-losing farmers. This arrangement will exclude areas near toll plazas and buffer zones of seven lakes.

The developed land will include essential infrastructure such as drainage, water supply, lighting, and signage, and farmers will be free to use it for commercial purposes. The BDA will retain its current 60:40 land compensation model, where farmers receive 40% of developed land for every acre acquired.

The BDA has also explored alternative financing options, including taking a loan from REC or HUDCO, with the state government covering the interest. The authority is also open to a public-private partnership model, where the bidder bears the entire project cost and leases it for 50 years.

The Peripheral Ring Road project covers a length of 65.95 km between Hosur Road and Tumakuru Road, with additional sections near Madanayakanahalli and Hebbagodi. The project features 16 flyovers, 10 overpasses, and 12 underpasses, enhancing Bengaluru's transportation network. Additionally, the plan includes bridges over seven water bodies and incorporates six cloverleaf-type over bridges to facilitate efficient crisscrossing without congestion.

The main carriageway will boast eight lanes, flanked by service roads on both sides, with a broad median reserved for potential future integration with the metro project. The BDA is now awaiting government approval to move forward with the revised proposal.