Bengaluru Business Corridor: Over 1,000 farmers file objections, call land acquisition ‘illegal’

Farmers claim that the project, has lapsed legally under Section 27 of the BDA Act, 1976, as no awards were issued within the mandated five-year period.

Over 1,000 objections have been filed to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) by farmers affected by the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR), now renamed the Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC).

Farmers claim that the PRR scheme, finalised in 2007, has lapsed legally under Section 27 of the BDA Act, 1976. (HT)

The objections, submitted both individually and collectively, cover the entire 74-kilometre project stretch and raise concerns about the legality of the acquisition and the adequacy of compensation.

What are the farmers demanding?

Farmers claim that the PRR scheme, finalised in 2007, has lapsed legally under Section 27 of the BDA Act, 1976, as no awards were issued within the mandated five-year period. They argue that continuing the acquisition under this void scheme is unconstitutional.

The affected landowners also demand that the BDA apply the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013, instead of the outdated Land Acquisition Act of 1894, which leads to drastically reduced compensation rates.

The recent five-option compensation package offered by the government has been rejected by farmers, who say the cash compensation is nearly 60 per cent lower than previous guideline values in areas such as Varthur.

They claim this prevents them from purchasing equivalent land and rebuilding their lives. Additionally, the absence of rehabilitation and resettlement benefits violates the LARR Act, they argue.

Farmers’ Statement

A spokesperson representing the affected farmers said, "This is not about greed; it is a fight for constitutional dignity and survival after 20 years of being land-locked by BDA notifications. We demand that the Government stop weaponising this two-decade ordeal against us. Any threat to withhold legal rights or payment is inhumane and unacceptable. The only legitimate path forward is to acknowledge the scheme's lapse or pay market-linked compensation strictly as per the LARR Act, 2013."

The farmers have urged the government to review the legal status of the lapsed scheme and instruct the BDA to implement the 2013 Central Act to ensure fair and full compensation before any further work on the PRR/BBC project proceeds.