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Koramangalites - brace yourselves for a lot more traffic
Written By murali772 - 6 September, 2012
Bangalore Planning Koramangala Citizen Reports Traffic jams Traffic Malls
A huge mall (Mantri ?) is supposedly coming up adjacent to the Agara lake (perhaps on the area marked 'encroachments Dec '08', seen by moving the cursor, here).
This is apart from the massive 15.64 acre PPP commercial cum EWS housing project coming up opposite the Games Village (NPS side), discussions pertaining to which may be accessed here.
And, added to all of these, is the Shantinagar Co-op House Building Society developments in the 62 acre land around the Nirgun Mandir area, in a non-transparent manner, about which the RWA's in the vicinity have raised their concerns (check here, for more)
All in all, Koramangala is going to be getting a lot more traffic, as if the existing scenario wasn't bad enough!
COMMENTS
murali772 - 7 February, 2013 - 08:29
Following is an interesting comment by an opinion leader in the SaveKoramangala Y-group:
Here is an extract from the report by State Environmental Impact Assessment Authority on what is coming up on ONE PORTION of land opposite the Agara Lake:
Mixed Use Development Project at various Sy.Nos. of Agara Village and Sy.No. &P of Jakkasandra Village, Begur Hobli, Bangalore South by M/s Manipal ETA Infotech Ltd. (SEIAA 30 CON 2011):
It is a proposal for construction of residential apartment with Block-1 (Block A: 2B+G+14UF; Block B: 2b+G+10 UF) + Block 2 (2B+G+14UF), retail, hotel & office building with 3B+G+11 UF, SEZ with 3B+G+11UF +Terrace and Non-SEZ 3B+G+12UF+Terrace on the plot area of 2,92,636.03 Sqm. The total builtup area is 11,50,454.98 Sqm. The total water requirement is 4587 KLD and the investment is of Rs 2347 crores. The total parking provided is for 14,438 cars.
Please read the total water requirement carefully. It is 4587 Kilo Litres per day. That is 4.587 million litres every single day (MLD). After the implementation of the Cauvery Stage IV, Phase II, which is in progress, the quantum of water that will be pumped into Bangalore from Cauvery will be 1310 MLD. Of this, about 40% disappears as unaccounted for loss, leaving a balance of around 800 MLD. Out of this, BWSSB is now supposed to supply 4.6 MLD to this new complex, though they haven't even applied for an NOC as yet. Instead by taking a Single-window clearance from the Government, they have directly bypassed this step.
If the project is built, it is a simple calculation -- thanks to the clout of Manipal ETA, they will get their 4.6 MLD, and all of Koramangala, HSR and surrounding areas will be reduced to a desert.
I think this is the single most important reason to oppose this project, apart from of course the traffic angle.
psaram42 - 7 September, 2012 - 08:17
Murali sir I was curious to see this in your blog above :-
" A huge mall (Mantri ?) is supposedly coming up adjacent to the Agara lake (perhaps on the area marked 'encroachments Dec '08', seen by moving the cursor, here). "
When I clickd I had to move around to figure out!
You dont have to move the cursor! Just Click here! Better still click here! LOL
What about stirling apartments Agara?
Similar issue [ Claiming of lake area by land fills ] in Varture lake. Lorries with mud for dumping come there in dark of night and dump earth on the lake water to make fresh dry land. Land Mafia at work!
murali772 - 3 October, 2012 - 13:24
Twenty two acres of valley land that connects Agara lake and Bellandur lake have been encroached upon and are being filled in preparation for construction.
The KIADB had allotted 63 acres and 37 guntas of land adjacent to the valley to Manipal ETA Infotech Ltd., a sister company of Century Group owned by Dayanand Pai. The company is preparing the land for construction. In the bargain, however, another 22 acres of the valley, land that was never allotted to the company, is also being filled up. At current market rates, these 22 acres would be worth over Rs. 600 crore.
For the full report in Propmart, click here.
Well, this raises a whole lot of new questions, for instance
a) if I understand correctly, this area was marked in green in the '95 Master Plan, as also in the draft 2015 Master Plan. But, when the finalised version of the 2015 Master Plan was released, it had got marked yellow. This is amongst the points raised in the PIL lodged by CAF.
b) KIADB as the name suggests is meant for providing land for industry. Do 'malls' come under the definition of industry?
c) An RTI query raised with the BDA evoked a response that they have not sanctioned any kind of development in the area. So, can a mall come up at this location just on the basis of a sanction by KIADB? In which case, what is the meaning of the BDA drawing up Master Plans, etc?
d) Don't we already have enough malls in the vicinity of Koramangala, for another one to come up on 63 acres + land?
e) And, was the controversial Sarjapur road signal-free corridor meant for taking shoppers from across the city speedily into the mall?
srinidhi - 3 October, 2012 - 16:06
This is an very upsetting development..few other questions arise..
Have there been any reliable survey done for the lake and the surrounding area at all?
If yes, is the permanent fencing available through out?
What is Lake Development Authority's stand on this?
Your team in Koramangala has done commendable job in trying to bring some order to the menace currently on all over bangalore..kindly request to take this up and save a lung space which this city desparately needs..I can also try talking to folks in HSR layout who can help..
Anithasunil - 4 October, 2012 - 04:14
Can we try to push for an Govt Agency (BDA /BBMP / Lake development Authority) to conduct a survey of existing lakes in bangalore, and record and publish the GPS cordinates of the boundaries!
Google earth view might give the same information. But there is no official stamp on it, saying "this is the boundary"
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