TARGET OF IRE: A concrete marker erected for ground alignment on one of the properties at Challakere for the expressway.

BANGALORE: With the fixing of ground alignment for the proposed expressway to the international airport under way, preliminary notification for acquisition of 638.1 acres in 18 villages falling in the alignment would be issued within a month.

The 21-km toll road, which will connect the international airport from the Outer Ring Road near Horamavu, will be built under build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) basis at a cost of Rs. 400 crore. While the Bangalore Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) is the nodal agency for the project, the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Ltd. (KRDCL) will identify the developer.

KRDCL officials told The Hindu that the fixing of the alignment on the ground would take another 15 to 20 days, and that the officials along with the revenue surveyors had already started placing markers on the land and properties along the alignment.

Officials said that the process of land acquisition would probably start within the next one month with a preliminary notification expected to be issued in this regard. Objections would be invited from the public and a time of one month would be given to receive objections. The Revenue Department would take a joint measurement before the final notification was brought out, officials added.

Markers removed

As the surveyors are erecting the cylindrical shaped concrete structure as markers for fixing the alignment on the ground, it is giving the residents in the notified areas sleepless nights, as it would pave way for the acquisition of properties shortly.

Despite opposition, the officials have been laying markers in private properties, which have been removed at many places.

Some farmers in Bagalur have already removed the concrete markers, while a few residents at Chellakere have removed these structures that were placed inside houses. Officials said that many such markers have also been damaged.

P. Prabhakar, a resident of Bagalur said, "I am planning to file a police complaint against both BMRDA and KRDCL for trespassing my property.

They did not have any identification and they entered my premises without issuing notice. Even I am planning to remove the marker after lodging a complaint."

Basave Gowda, a farmer from Chakleti village who stands to lose his farmland, said that though he wanted to remove the concrete markers, he feared police action if he did so.

However, BMRDA Commissioner Sudhir Krishna said that notices need not be issued for placing markers in the properties.

Last date

Meanwhile, KRDCL officials held a pre-bid meeting with the prospective developers recently and May 16 is the last date for submission of request for qualification (RFQ) document by the developers.

Those developers who qualify in the first round of bidding (RFQ) will be issued the request for proposal (RFP) document, the second round of selection process, following which the developer would be identified. Officials said that the process might take a couple of months. The project would be completed in 18 months from the date of commencement.

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