BDA Commissioner N Jayaram confirmed that some landowners have accepted the consent awards after submitting proposals for compensation.

Bengaluru: In a major step towards the long-pending Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has started issuing consent awards to landowners willing to give up their land for the 74-kilometre corridor.

However, the move has drawn sharp criticism from a prominent farmers’ group, which alleges that the process is being carried out without adequate transparency and fair compensation. BDA Commissioner N Jayaram confirmed that some landowners have accepted the consent awards after submitting proposals for compensation.

The awards mark the beginning of the land acquisition process, following the state government’s approval of the project nearly eight months ago.

To facilitate the acquisition, the government had formed a committee comprising land acquisition officers tasked with meeting farmers individually to determine compensation. The committee is expected to submit its final report within a month.

The PRR Farmers and Land Losers’ Association has strongly opposed the issuance of consent awards, calling it a violation of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013. Members of the association allege that farmers are being pressured to sign documents under duress and without a clear understanding of the compensation framework.

“They are forcing farmers to accept Rs 2 to Rs 4 crore per acre, while the market value ranges between Rs 8 crore and Rs 15 crore,” said Mavalipura Srinivas, a farmer leader and Dalit activist.

Addressing the media, Srinivas also accused some political leaders of resorting to coercive tactics to secure land for the project.

He warned that the farmers would launch a Jail Bharo movement if compensation is not aligned with the provisions of the 2013 Act.

Over 600 farmers have already approached the court against the compensation, which has been suppressed deliberately. When the compensation issue remains unresolved, what is the urgency? The government must protect the interests of farmers and landowners,” he said.

He also claimed that farmers are being told they would otherwise be forced to fight prolonged legal battles. Many have refused to sign the documents, demanding that the BDA first declare compensation as per the 2013 Act.

The PRR project, first proposed over a decade ago, aims to decongest Bengaluru’s core by creating a ring road around the city. However, land acquisition hurdles and compensation disputes have repeatedly stalled progress.