The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) demolished parts of a stud farm in the Avalahalli area in Yelahanka on Thursday, May 18. The Broadacres Stud Farm was demolished in the presence of a massive police force. The land is being acquired for Shivaram Karanth Layout. The owner of the farm, Rina Mahindra alleged that they did not receive any notice of the demolition, and they came to know only when bulldozers were brought to the area. Parts of the stud farm were demolished under the watchful eyes of a massive police force, with multiple bulldozers employed for the operation.
Rina expressed deep dismay as the authorities arrived and initiated the demolition process. "Fortunately, the stables were spared from destruction, ensuring the safety of the horses. However, the bulldozers caused significant damage to various parts of the property, including the paddocks," lamented Mahindra.
The Shivaram Karanth Layout involves the acquisition of land from farmers and landowners for the development of a planned layout. It extends over a vast area encompassing 17 villages between Doddaballapur and Hesaraghatta. Despite earlier assurances by SR Vishwanath, the Chairman of BDA, that developed land would be given as compensation to affected individuals, Rina said that she had not received any compensation or any prior notice about the demolition.
Since its proposal in 2008, the Shivaram Karanth Layout project has been mired in legal disputes. While the BDA issued a notification to acquire the land, complications arising from litigation prevented the issuance of a final notification. In 2015, the Karnataka High Court cancelled the project due to numerous lawsuits filed by farmers and landowners. In 2018, the Supreme Court ordered the BDA to proceed with the formation of the layout.
To address concerns regarding alleged violations of the Supreme Court's orders, the court-appointed Justice AV Chandrashekar committee. The committee conducted an aerial and field survey of the area and invited applications from landowners to gather information. The preliminary findings of the committee indicated that between 2008 and 2018, approximately 7,500 structures had come up in the area with around 2,300 of them being deemed illegal.