Bengaluru: Hebbal is likely to emerge as a major transport hub due to the large swathe of vacant space located between the Outer Ring Road and Ballari Road.
Namma Metro has proposed to acquire 45 acres of land, currently under the custody of the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board (KIADB).
MB Patil, Minister for Commerce and Industries, is expected to make the final decision on transferring the land, as KIADB falls under his portfolio.
Namma Metro reports to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who oversees the Bengaluru Development portfolio.
In its letter to the Commerce and Industries Department, Namma Metro has offered to pay Rs 551.15 crore to acquire the land. The plan includes building two metro viaducts, a depot, multi-level car parking and a multi-modal hub.
In addition, three metro and suburban railway stations are also set to be developed at Hebbal.
Around two decades ago, KIADB had notified about 55 acres of land for establishing the Lake View Tourism Corporation. Although the privately run corporation paid Rs 10 crore for the acquisition, the proposal never materialised due to changes in the government and modifications to the original plan.
Since the land remains vacant and under KIADB’s custody, Namma Metro has proposed creating a multi-modal hub to manage the daily traffic flow. The matter was discussed at a high power committee meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Rajneesh Goel.
Reviving the 2004 proposal by the Lake View Tourism Corporation Ltd may face criticism from citizens, as the plan focuses on commercialising the land for profit by building office spaces, schools and tourism spots.
Conversely, Namma Metro's proposal aims to transform the area into a multi-modal hub to alleviate traffic congestion in Hebbal, one of Bengaluru’s most congested areas.
Published 26 July 2024, 21:30 IST