BDA Finalises 46.25 Acres in Bengaluru for 250-Metre Skydeck

Skydeck project gathers pace as BDA begins preparatory works

The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has finalised 46.25 acres in west Bengaluru for the proposed 250-metre-high skydeck and begun preparing to invite design proposals.

The selected land falls within Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout (NPKL) and covers Bheemanakuppe survey numbers 104 and 75, along with Challaghatta survey numbers 13, 58/3 and 49.

P. Manivannan, BDA Commissioner, said the authority was preparing to invite Expressions of Interest (EoI) for the design proposals.

“We are looking at getting multiple designs and their cost prospects,” he said.

Land and design process

The BDA considered more than five locations before narrowing the choice to two and finalising the current site.

The authority has also onboarded a transaction adviser, and several aspects of the project, including possession of the land, have been cleared, Mr. Manivannan said.

According to BDA sources, about five acres of the identified land parcel had already been allotted.

The BDA is now making arrangements to relocate the beneficiaries by allotting them land elsewhere.

After receiving Cabinet approval in August 2024, the project went through a longer search for a suitable location.

At that time, Siddaramaiah was Chief Minister and Mr. Shivakumar was his deputy.

The project is one of Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s pet projects and was estimated to cost up to ₹500 crore.

Once design proposals are received, the BDA will assess their cost and examine the feasibility of implementing the project through either the public-private partnership (PPP) or engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) model.

Earlier sites were dropped

Then Bengaluru Development Minister Mr. Shivakumar had expressed interest in three locations near Baiyappanahalli, Hemmigepura and Jnanabharathi.

Those locations were dropped because of feasibility issues.

The BDA subsequently almost finalised a land parcel near Kommaghatta, partly because of its connectivity.

However, implementing the project there would have required land acquisition and posed other technical challenges.

The currently identified parcel was selected after that option was set aside.

The site has S.M. Krishna Main Road, described as the city’s widest stretch, passing close to it.

The road will also become part of the Bengaluru Business Corridor (BBC).

The site is located a few kilometres from the Challaghatta Metro station.

Possible impact on nearby land values

BDA sources said the value of corner sites in NPKL and plots around the identified project site is expected to more than double soon after work begins.

That increase could potentially place an additional financial burden on prospective buyers.

The expected rise in land values links the progress of the skydeck to the surrounding property market, even before the design and implementation model are finalised.

The project has Cabinet approval and the BDA has now moved to the design-proposal stage, but its cost and the feasibility of the PPP or EPC models are still to be assessed.

The authority is also making progress on two other projects championed by Mr. Shivakumar: the Hebbal Short Tunnel project and the BBC.

Work on the BBC is gathering pace, while the BDA has been making progress on the Hebbal Short Tunnel project.

Source: The Hindu