Written By silkboard - 23 October, 2008

Bangalore BBMP Koramangala Parks suggestion Agara amenities

You may remember reading this last year - Army to close Agara Farm. Each time I am on Inner Ring Road or Sarjapur Road around Agara, I wonder what use is Army putting this vast stretch of Land into. Thanks a million to them, we don't have another middle class slum developing and congesting this area. But if they don't have any serious use planned right now, would they be game to lease it out to us (the citizens) to help create a nice big park cum eco preservation area!? Challaghatta Bagh anyone!?

Here is the stretch of land in question:

For all the growth that our city has seen, how many more Cubbon parks or Lalbaghs have we created? Though BBMP has done a good job of creating small size parks in many localities, there is need for large and quality lung spaces in our city. Developing recreational areas around lakes would be one way of making new public spaces. But a nice big park so close to Koramangala and Indiranagar could be a nice gift to South/East areas of our city.

You never know, sooner or later, growth pressures could see BBMP/BDA thinking of going to Army for making some use of this land. If we can get a big park done in this area before those pressures arise, we could prevent that from happening.

But, I have very little idea of the plans and use Army has for this land. That Hindu news article had said three things

• 483-acre Agram Military Farm ... being disbanded
• Parachute Regiment Training Centre was moved from Agram (probably last year, I don't know exactly when)
• The Agram farm is likely to house the Army Software Development Centre ... and also a Naval unit

At least from Outer ring Road at Agara, there is no activity visible (for a new Naval Unit, or Software development Center as this news article had said). But you never know. If the Army has any plans for future, they wouldn't lose that right by leasing out this farmland to citizens only for creating open public spaces (with zero or minimal construction).

400 acres of new park land in Bangalore, I am sure we are all going slurp slurp at the prospects. But is it possible at all, or just too ridiculous a dream!? If any Defence folks are reading this, could you add some realism please.

regards,

SB aka Pranav

Let the Army itself develop parks and maintain them

mcadambi - 24 October, 2008 - 02:25

Atleast let the army develop parks - without changing the existing green cover. Then atleast, Bangaloreans can still have more green space. The point is - the army lands need to be put to good use rather than keeping them idle. Perhaps Bangalore Inc can join the PPP as part of their CSR and work towards establishing more parks like JP Park on Army land.

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Redundancy of Army Establishments in Bangalore

mcadambi - 23 October, 2008 - 05:27

Most Army Establishments in Bangalore date back from even the 18th century (Madras Sappers) to recent post independence establishments. I really do not think they are of any use to the Army. No one needs 400 acres to set up an Army Software Development Centre. About 5 acres or less would do the trick. Most of the army land should be converted in to totally green areas like JP Park. We could lease out the land that is currently occupied by Chinnaswamy Stadium for establishing foreing embassies which will further boost the international standing of Bengaluru. Please note that I am not against the army. It is just that they are un-neccessarily occupying too much land in the centre of the City. Sometime back the expansion of Pune Airport was stopped by the Army because the Army did not want to part with an inch of it's land. I salute the Armed forces for their integrity and their dedication, but i will not hesitate to call a spade a spade.

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Blessing in disguise

psaram42 - 23 October, 2008 - 06:43

It is a blessing in disguise that Bangalore in Deep South was a military head quarters in British days. Bangalore owes a lot to the military land for much needed lung space. It is not a redundancy but a good fortune that India has the luxury of well protected military base in Deep South. During the 1964 war we in Bangalore felt much safer than people near the Border. Mcad, in peace time it is natural for you to feel the redundancy of Military. It is only in war time that you will realize what it takes to have a fine army. Banish the thought of redundancy! I feel that Army should never give Agara Farm land to the government. The farm should be developed as a high tech Army Botanical Garden of sorts and make it open to public at a cost. The army can have its proposed army soft ware development centre and the Naval Unit located inside the Botanical garden.

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Lung space from Army, for people

silkboard - 23 October, 2008 - 06:42

First of all, we don't know the latest status of this land, and not clear if this dream is at all possible. However, there is no need to hand this over to the government. Army could build botanical garden or open air museum (basically, some public space) via partnership with citizens/NGOs or government/BBMP itself. It could take the land back whenever the need arises. But if its not being used, why not do something for Bangalore. If government wants to do more than that, then, with creation of lung space as the sole objective and criteria, BBMP or state government can have a land swap program to compensate Defence establishments with land on the outskirts. True, we are thankful to the defence establishments for most of the lung space visible today in the city. without them, we would have vendors hawkers and shops creating entropy across all those roads. Just see ORR between Ibulur and agara, and then between Ibulur and Marathahalli to realize what I mean. But, Bangalore of 1920s was different. These places were true outskirts. Not anymore. If BBMP can be made to promise that the land will be utilized only for public purposes - lung spaces, recreational facilities, or public transit facilities (say Metro), may be a land-swap program could reshape Bangalore.

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Bad idea : Dont penalise me because my house is green

ssheragu - 23 October, 2008 - 17:51

ssheragu Suhas I am fully in agreement with you; If Army has large tracts land, we citizens wil benefit the most & best, if these large tarcts of land are left with the Army. these tracts of land serve as lung spaces of Bangalore and all Bangaloreans will benefit by this Land with the Army let it be with the Army thanks Srinath Heragu

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