HC boost to PRR project.

The High Court of Karnataka recentlyhas dismissed the petitions filed by owners of around 137 acres of land and 75 houses and sites questioning the acquisition of their properties for the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project.

The acquisition was part of around 1,900 acres acquired for the project during 2005–2007.

In his order, Justice Anand Byrareddy said that the acquisition process, initiated under the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, could not be held to be lapsed in view of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 that came into force with effect from January 1, 2014.

A fresh acquisition process under the new Act could not be undertaken as the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) could not complete the acquisition proceedings in view of the stay granted by the High Court, and also because these lands were part of the notifications, which were upheld by a Division Bench of the High Court in its July 15, 2013 verdict, Justice Byrareddy said. Only around 372 acres of additional land acquired in 2010 to provide utility services along the PRR, were quashed by the Division Bench and that order is under challenge before the Supreme Court, he observed while refusing to interfere with the acquisition of these lands.


THE HINDU