Residents across the City are in no mood to take the TDR option without a fight. And in places where there is an attempt to steamroll the public opinion against it, the resistance has been strong. One recent example is that of Tannery Road traders.
Met with stiff opposition, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has reportedly decided to go slow on its project to widen the Tannery Road. And the traders there are not complaining, because the cash-strapped civic body was in no mood to give them monetary compensation. TDR was the only alternative, which a majority of the traders were dead against.
Here’s what president of the Tannery Road Merchants’ Association, Vijayraj has to say on the whole issue: “In the year 2009, the Palike proposed to widen the road from the existing 40 feet to 80 feet road. We held discussions and meetings with the Palike officials during the same year and told them we do not want TDR as it has no value. Also, most of the traders are uneducated and do not know what it is all about."
The traders recall how the Palike had already marked many shops red, indicating the extent of the property they have to part with for the widening activity. There are around 700 shops on the Tannery road stretch. “The BBMP officials told us that almost all the shops would be demolished. We would have allowed the BBMP to undertake road widening activity had they agreed to give us the compensation,” points out Vijayraj.
The Palike’s Superintendent Engineer ( Major Roads), K T Nagaraj, who had earlier visited the spot, however, maintains that the road widening project has not been abandoned.
“We have made a Detailed Project Report (DPR) regarding the project and submitted the same to the state government. We are still awaiting approval and once it is done, we will go ahead with executing the project.” But he reiterates that the Palike cannot afford to pay monetary compensation and can offer only TDR certificates.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) had conducted soil testing a month back along the Tannery Road-Nagawara stretch as a part of Phase II of the Namma metro rail project. The residents and traders say they are not aware whether they would have to part with their land. If the stretch goes underground, they would have nothing to worry about, as a resident, Syed Akram points out.