The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): In the ongoing saga surrounding the Ballari Road widening project, which involves land from the Bangalore Palace estate, the Supreme Court has mandated the appearance of three senior Karnataka bureaucrats, including the Chief Secretary, for a hearing related to a contempt petition set for March 19. This development follows the State’s decision to compensate for the acquisition of 15.5 acres out of the 466-acre Bangalore Palace grounds through Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), aimed at facilitating the road expansion project along Ballari Road and Jayamahal Road.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda disclosed that the Chief Secretary, the Additional Chief Secretary of the Urban Development Department, and the Commissioner of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have been ordered to personally attend the court proceedings. This instruction is linked to three contempt petitions filed by the descendants of the Mysuru royal family, which have been consolidated into one case.
The contention revolves around the non-fulfillment of the court’s previous direction to the government for providing TDR to the petitioners, who argue that despite losing land for the road widening initiative, they haven’t received the promised TDR. The Supreme Court has subsequently directed the government to either compensate the landowners or reconsider the road widening plan. Despite legal ambiguities concerning land title, the government has opted to proceed with the TDR option, leaving the beneficiary determination to the court’s discretion.
Amidst this legal backdrop, a member of the royal family expressed confidence in achieving justice, highlighting the government’s prior reluctance to issue TDR and the insufficient compensation offered compared to the court’s directives in 2014.
This legal battle traces back to the enactment of the Bangalore Palace (Acquisition and Transfer) Act, 1996, which has been under scrutiny, especially after the Karnataka High Court affirmed its validity. The case gains complexity with the anticipation of a related nine-judge Supreme Court bench hearing concerning land acquisition, which might set a precedent affecting the Bangalore Palace dispute.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged swift legal action and better representation in the Supreme Court, reflecting the historical and ongoing complexities of land acquisition and compensation in Karnataka, particularly involving heritage properties like the Bangalore Palace.