Bengaluru Business Corridor gets cabinet nod, to cut traffic by 40%

Karnataka Cabinet approves the long-pending Peripheral Ring Road project, now renamed Bengaluru Business Corridor, aimed at decongesting the city with a 40% expected traffic reduction.

Bengaluru is taking a historic step to tackle its notorious traffic woes with the approval of the 117-km long Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, now rebranded as the Bengaluru Business Corridor. The Karnataka Cabinet has cleared the project, which will be executed under the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA) and is expected to be completed within two years.

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The ambitious project aims to decongest the city by allowing vehicles moving between highways and industrial zones to bypass the city core, thereby reducing the strain on central Bengaluru roads. The government anticipates a 40% reduction in traffic congestion once the corridor becomes operational.

Around 1,900 families are expected to be affected by land acquisition for the project. To address their concerns, the government has introduced a five-option compensation package that gives affected farmers and landowners multiple choices:

1.    Cash Compensation: Urban landowners will receive twice the guidance value, while rural landowners within five kilometers of the city limit will receive thrice the guidance value, calculated based on October 2023 rates.
2.    Transfer of Development Rights (TDR): Landowners will receive TDR equivalent to twice the guidance value according to BBMP norms.
3.    Additional FAR/FSI: Owners can use additional Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or Floor Space Index (FSI) on their remaining land along the corridor.
4.    Developed Residential Land Compensation: Landowners losing more than half an acre in residential areas will receive 40% of developed land in nearby layouts.
5.    Developed Commercial Land Compensation: Owners of commercial land along a 35-meter corridor will receive 35% of developed plots, with smaller landowners receiving cash instead.

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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 landowners are opting for land-based compensation rather than cash. To ensure smooth progress, the government has announced that if some landowners refuse to give land, the compensation amount will be deposited in court, and the project will proceed without de-notifying any land.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar emphasized the importance of the project, describing it as one of the biggest decisions of the Karnataka government. He highlighted that Bengaluru is currently choking under heavy traffic and assured affected families that the government is offering compensation well above expectations. The corridor is expected to relieve congestion on key arterial roads and create smoother transit between industrial areas and highways, reducing the load on the city’s central zones.

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Once completed, it is expected to significantly enhance commuting times, reduce vehicular congestion in central Bengaluru, and provide a modern infrastructure backbone for the city’s growing transport demands.