- Bengaluru's 117-km Peripheral Ring Road project renamed Bengaluru Business Corridor
- Karnataka government expects a 40% reduction in city traffic after completion
- Project cost reduced to under Rs 10,000 crore from the Rs 27,000 crore estimate
Infamous for its traffic, Bengaluru is looking to decongest the city with 117-km long Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project. The Karnataka cabinet has approved the long-pending road project with a new identity, the Bengaluru Business Corridor. The project will be executed under the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and is expected to be completed within two years.
Announcing the development, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the project would be a "historic step" towards decongesting the city.
"Bengaluru is choking. We want the traffic to come down. I know about 1,900 families will be affected, but the government is offering more than what they are expecting as compensation. It's one of the biggest decisions of the Karnataka government," he said.
According to Shivakumar, the government anticipates a 40 per cent reduction in city traffic once the corridor is operational, as vehicles moving between highways and industrial zones will bypass the city core.
"If some landowners refuse to give land, we will deposit the compensation amount in court and proceed. No land will be de-notified at any cost," he asserted.
The project, originally estimated at Rs 27,000 crore, is now expected to cost less than Rs 10,000 crore, as a larger number of farmers are opting for land-based compensation rather than cash payments.
To address long-standing disputes over land acquisition, the government has announced a new five-option compensation package for affected farmers and landowners:
- Cash compensation twice the guidance value for urban areas and thrice the guidance value for rural areas within 5 km of city limits, based on the October 2023 rates.
- Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) equivalent to twice the guidance value, as per the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) norms.
- Additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR/FSI) for use on remaining land along the project stretch.
- For those losing more than half an acre in residential areas, the government will provide 40 per cent of developed land in nearby layouts.
- In case of developed commercial land, 35 per cent of developed plots in a 35-metre commercial corridor abutting the project, with smaller landowners receiving cash instead.
Officials said the Bengaluru Business Corridor will not only serve as a key traffic relief measure but also open up large tracts of land for commercial and industrial development, positioning the city as a major investment hub.
