Peripheral Ring Road project: Karnataka Cabinet to decide on farmers’ compensation demand

“Though farmers are demanding compensation as per the 2013 Act, a (Supreme) Court order has ruled against the same,” he said, referring to a 2022 order which exempted the land acquired by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) for PRR from being compensated under the 2013 Act. The issue will also be discussed by the state Cabinet, Shivakumar said.

The government has agreed to compensate farmers under the BDA Act, which the landowners say was lower than market value. They demanded that land losers be compensated under the provisions of 2013 Act as the government had not taken up PRR despite notifying and acquiring land for the same since 2006. According to sources, the government was not keen on compensating farmers under the 2013 Act as it would cost Rs 3,000 crore more than the relief provided under the BDA Act.

Shivakumar said the government would implement PRR in the land acquired for the same and ruled out any possibility of denotifying the acquired land or issuing No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for the said land.

During the meeting, those who lost the land submitted a memorandum urging the government to petition the Supreme Court challenging the 2022 order. “Government should provide relief for farmers by issuing an ordinance,” the petition submitted to Shivakumar says.

It can be recalled that the PRR project – a 74-km road around the city – was first proposed in 2006. The project is yet to be realised and a tender floated in July 2022 found no bidders.