At a time when land in Bangalore would cost you an arm and a leg, the ruling Congress has got prime land, measuring 19,420 sq ft, for just Rs 12,000 annuity on a 30-year lease basis.The land, situated behind the existing College Bhavan (KPCC office) on Queen’s Road, is actually valued at Rs 5.66 crore, but the land has been allotted to it considering the party’s role in the pre-independence days and its political status at the national level.The land was originally owned by the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) which had planned to construct a ‘‘Pravasi Bhavan’’ there, but it later returned the land to the Bangalore City Corporation (BCC). During Roshan Baig’s tenure as Minister for Tourism, the KSTDC wrote to the BCC and returned the land and sought the allotment of a vacant land adjacent to Central College.Even though KPCC has a building of its own, it moved an application before the BCC requesting that the land in question be given to it. The standing committee of the Congress-ruled BCC passed a resolution approving the allotment of the land to the KPCC considering its role in the pre-independence days and that it was a national party. The price fixed was Rs 12,000 annually for 30 years.The resolution of the BCC was ratified by the government in its order issued on October 8. Land measuring 19,420 square feet has been allotted to the Congress for its activities.
