Due to the construction of the new metro station near Shivajinagar bus stop, the surrounding shopkeepers are losing their land and their workplace.
The Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has started construction of a new metro station at Shanti Nagar and the problems are just beginning. More than 20 shops are being demolished and the owners are losing their land. A famous play ground is making way for the station. The locals say they weren’t informed prior to this development.
Zaheer Khan, the head of the shop keeper association at Shivajinagar and also one of the shopkeepers said, “We have not got a notice from the BBMP to vacate the shops, we just got a notice from the BMRCL stating that they are going to give a compensation based on business loss and Vacating allowance We are helpless and we have approached the Bangalore Commissioner as well as the Mayor but found no relief. We have waited for weeks together now outside the offices. They are promising us 30 thousand or 40 thousand rupees for compensation from the revenue department; nobody is coming forward to help us.”
According to the documents provided by the shopkeepers, they are being paid a compensation of Rs 250 per square feet according to 2007 land value where as the current land value states Rs 15,000 per square feet.
Murthy, BMRCL operator and construction manager, said, “The contract was taken from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) by BMRCL. We started the demolition work since two months. We should complete the complete demolition in another three months. We haven’t received any complaints yet, if there is any they have to talk to the higher authorities.”
The BMRCL construction manager wasn’t aware of the ongoing dispute. The shopkeepers say they pleaded the authorities saying they did not want any compensation, instead they requested their shops to be relocated until they find a feasible solution.”
Bharath Krishnamurthy a lawyer said, “They have to appeal to the higher authorities and complain in the customer portals of these government websites. All the process and procedures are up online. The process is slow due the upcoming elections but the shopkeepers need to talk to them and come to an agreement.
