Unable to develop new layouts over issues with farmers on land acquisition, the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has diverted its focus to vertical growth. It has proposed to construct apartments and group houses on the land owned by it.
Arguing that it was not deviating from its earlier resolve of developing sites, the MUDA said vertical expansion has become inevitable with land prices skyrocketing and claimed that it cannot develop sites at affordable cost, thanks to scarcity of suitable lands in and around Mysuru. Also, the 2013 order in which the buyer has to pay three times the market value of the land cost was another reason for the slowing down of horizontal growth.
Over 70,000 applications are before the MUDA seeking sites in its layouts. The last time the MUDA allotted sites was at R.T. Nagar, off Ring Road, after several years of delay.
At a cost of ₹298 crore, the MUDA has proposed to construct group housing in Vijayanagar and Dattagalli where 952 two BHK houses have been proposed to be constructed, and the proposal has been submitted to the government. The estimated cost of the project is ₹298 crore and the expected revenue after the allotment of houses was ₹550 crore, according to the MUDA.
In this connection, a sum of ₹100 crore has been set aside in the 2022-23 budget towards realising the MUDA projects.
Addressing a press conference here on Monday, MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev said the Ballenahalli layout project did not take off over land issues and the MUDA is in talks with farmers for land at Bommenahalli and Vajamangala. “If we get 100 acres of land in one location, MUDA is ready to start the layout work. We are trying to adopt the Rajasthan and Gujarat model of layout development.”
Arguing that vertical expansion is the available remedy for catering to the demand for housing, Mr. Rajeev said MUDA wants to give flats at affordable cost and therefore it was urging the government for a higher floor area ratio (FAR). “Unless we increase the number of flats, we cannot provide housing at affordable cost. Our appeal for G-plus 13 floors is before the government.”
Claiming that the response to MUDA’s survey for group housing was good as over 53,000 people evinced interest in the projects, the MUDA chairman said, “In the current circumstances, it is difficult to allot a site at the price lower than what is being offered by a private developer due to cost escalation, and inability to get suitable land. Yet, the MUDA is making efforts to get lands, engaging with farmers for layout development under a 50:50 scheme to cater to the demand. An approximate 70,000-80,000 site aspirants’ applications are pending before the MUDA.”
MUDA Commissioner Natesh and members of the MUDA were present.
