Land acquisition puts brakes on BRTS corridor

HUBLI: Scotch any idea of zipping through a dedicated bus corridor through the twin cities at the start of next year. The much-touted Hubli-Dharwad bus rapid transit system (BRTS) project, which envisaged a 22.25-km-long corridor between Hubli and Dharwad and dangled the promise of segregated bus ways, controlled bus stations, off-board ticketing through smart cards and tokens, and high quality buses, is yet to take off more than a year after the nod for land acquisition was given.
As per the plan of the Hubli-Dharwad BRTS Company, a state government undertaking established specifically for the implementation of the BRTS project in the twin cities, the eight-lane corridor was expected to be ready by December this year. Of the eight, four lanes have been set aside exclusively for buses.
The company has hit a wall over the process of acquiring land to add four more lanes to those under the jurisdiction of the Karnataka Road Development Corporation Limited (KRDCL). A year ago, it notified about 67.25 acres of land in Hubli city, Unkal, Bhairidevarkoppa, Amargol, Navanagar, Rayapur, Lakkamanhalli and other areas. Sources say the project has been held up because land owners feel that they are being given a raw deal in terms of compensation. Negotiations over the past year haven't reportedly helped put things back on track. %The Hubli-Dharwad BRTS Company has had for over %25 futile meetings with land owners and agencies like the Hubli-Dharwad Urban Development Authority, the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation and KRDCL.
Besides, the process of land acquisition has been delayed due to strict provisions of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, enacted last year, and the Lok Sabha election, claim sources.
CM Noor Mansoor, managing director of the Hubli-Dharwad BRTS Company, however, is optimistic about clearing the hurdles soon. He says the process of land acquisition in Lakkamanhalli and Amargol has been completed. "The rates for land in Rayapur, Sattur and Hubli city have been sent to the government for approval. The price of land in Navalur is yet to be finalized. Negotiations are on with land owners in Bhairidevarkoppa and Unkal, which will be wrapped up soon."
Mansoor claims that the land acquisition process will completed by the end of December this year. "Roads and other infrastructure will be built by December next year. Trial runs of buses in the BRTS corridor will begin in January 2016."