PRR land row escalates: Farmers protest at BDA office demanding 2013 Act compensation or land return

Tensions flared in Bengaluru as thousands of farmers protested against BDA over Peripheral Ring Road land acquisition, demanding compensation under the 2013 law or withdrawal of land notifications.

A long-pending dispute over Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) land acquisition intensified on Tuesday as farmers clashed with the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), accusing it of denying fair compensation and delaying the project for nearly two decades.

The conflict centres on compensation for land acquired for the PRR project, now renamed the Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC). Farmers have strongly opposed BDA’s move to offer compensation under the 1894 Land Acquisition Act, insisting that payments must be made as per the 2013 Central Land Acquisition Act, which guarantees higher and fairer compensation.

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The BDA had issued the PRR land acquisition notification as early as 2005, but even after 20 years, the project has not been implemented on the ground. Farmers argue that as no development work has taken place for two decades, the project should either be cancelled or land should be returned through withdrawal of notification (NOC).

Despite several meetings between the state government, BDA officials and farmers, no resolution has been reached. BDA has consistently expressed reluctance to pay compensation under the 2013 Act, leading to repeated failure of compensation-related meetings and stalling the road project multiple times.

On Tuesday afternoon around 12 pm, farmers from 74 villages gathered in large numbers and marched towards the BDA central office to stage a massive protest. However, police denied permission for the protest. As farmers reached the BDA premises, police detained them and arrested several protestors, later shifting them in two buses.

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The protesting farmers raised strong slogans against both the BDA and the state government, demanding that if proper compensation is not paid, their land must be returned. More than 100 police personnel were deployed in and around the BDA office to prevent escalation.

Although the government has appointed eight new KAS officers to handle land acquisition, the compensation deadlock remains unresolved, continuing to pose major hurdles to the PRR project.