Acquisition Of Land For NHAI Service Road By MCC Opposed

Mangaluru

The council meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC)   witnessed a heated discussion between the Corporators of the ruling BJP and Congress in the opposition, on an agenda that sought the nod for   city corporation to acquire land for   National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to develop service roads by the side of national highway stretches in  city.

In fact,   MLA Y Bharath Shetty of the BJP had proposed that the MCC acquire land required for the development of service roads offering Transferable Development Rights (TDR) to property owners. The MCC has an option to acquire land for development works, by offering TDRs to property owners.
Hence, the MCC may acquire land through TDRs, instead of the NHAI, for the development of service roads in city limits, the MLA stated in his proposal.
When the agenda in this regard was read out by the Chief Whip of Council Premanand Shetty, Corporator AC Vinayaraj from the opposition sought clarification from officials regarding the legality of the move. Let officials clarify if there is legal provision for the city corporation to acquire land for the NHAI, which is working as per the NHAI Act, he said.Officials said that the acquisition of additional land is necessary when the NHAI develops service roads in the city, especially at Nanthoor and Mahaveer Circle. Officials also pointed out that land will have to be acquired for the proposal of vehicular overpasses at Nanthoor and KPT Circle.
However, Vinayaraj, opposition leader Praveen Chandra Alva and other corporators from the Congress raised objections and sought a review of the decision leading to a lengthy and vociferous discussion. Later, the debate ended after Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur suggested recording the objections of the opposition corporators.