BBMP needs ₹3000 crore to build 300-km roads along SWD bufferzone

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s (BBMP) project to build 300-km roads along the buffer zone of storm-water drains (SWDs) across the city requires an estimated ₹3,000 crore. The road infrastructure department is expecting the allocation in the upcoming budget of the civic body.

The BBMP that is implementing the project in a phased manner has initially taken up 28 km in Yelahanka, R.R. Nagar, and Byataranayapura. The total estimated cost is ₹280 crore. The revenue department has already started issuing notices in Byatarayanapura to build a 7.22-km road between Hebbal military farm and Hennur Main Road.

Engineer-in Chief, BBMP, B.S. Prahlad said, “For the first time, the BBMP will be laying roads along the buffer zones and the cost per km is estimated between ₹7 crore and ₹10 crores. In the upcoming budget, the road infrastructure department is expecting an allocation of ₹3,000 crores for 300-km. The lowest bidders will be awarded the tender to execute the project.”

Mr. Prahlad said roughly 75 lakh square metres of land is required for the project, which is about 1,853 acres. The planned road will have a width of 25 metres from the center of the SWD, as this distance represents the buffer zone for a drainage system. However, the roads, designed to alleviate congestion in the area, will not have a consistent width throughout its entire length.

In the first week of January, the BBMP had issued public notice for acquiring 149 properties. This road between Hebbal and Hennur runs parallel to the Outer Ring Road.

Karigowda, Zonal Commissioner, Yelahanka, further said, “We have commenced issuing notices to property owners for land acquisition. The BBMP needs about 71.5 acres. The lands will be acquired by issuing transferable development rights (TDR).”