Handing over land for metro in Hebbal is our priority, says minister MB Patil
Bengaluru, Mar 1 (PTI): The state government is committed to transferring 45 acres of land in Hebbal in the city to BMRCL (Namma Metro) for the construction of a multimodal transport hub, Large and Medium Industries Minister M B Patil said on Saturday.
However, resolving the legal hurdles surrounding the land is crucial before moving forward, he said.
"The total land under discussion in Hebbal spans 55 acres and 13 guntas. Out of this, Namma Metro has requested 45 acres and 5 guntas. On Friday, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and I held a meeting to discuss the matter. It was decided that all existing legal obstacles must first be cleared to avoid further complications," Patil said in a statement.
He pointed out that the previous BJP government had issued an order permitting the organisation claiming ownership of the land to implement its project over the next three years. Additionally, a court order is in place regarding the matter.
"If we transfer the land to Namma Metro without resolving these legal issues, it could lead to further complexities," he explained.
"As a minister, it is not appropriate to act against the decisions of the government and the court. A unilateral decision could result in further complications. Hence, we are working on the most feasible way to facilitate the smooth transfer of land to Metro," Patil stated.
He added that all possible solutions are being explored, including discussions with project promoters and seeking legal support.
"If a multimodal transport hub is developed in Hebbal, it will benefit lakhs of people. However, in our urgency to complete the transfer, we must ensure that no new legal problems arise. At the same time, we do not want unnecessary delays either, as any delay could hinder the swift execution of this crucial public project," Patil said.
"Therefore, we are taking a balanced approach, ensuring both legal compliance and development progress," he said, reiterating that the government is carefully reviewing all available options.
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HC questions Delhi govt over failure to regulate sale of old vehicles, refers to Red Fort blast
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi High Court questioned the city government on Wednesday over its failure to regulate the sale and transfer of used vehicles, while pointing out that in a recent bomb blast near the Red Fort, a second-hand car was used, making the issue more significant.
A bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela asked the Delhi government to file a detailed response on the issue of regulating authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
"A car changes four hands but the original owner has not changed. Therefore, what happens? That man (the original owner) goes to the slaughterhouse? What is this? How are you permitting this? You will take a call when two-three more bomb blasts take place?" the bench asked the Delhi government's counsel.
The bomb blast near the iconic Mughal-era monument was carried out using a second-hand car, making the issue even more significant, it said.
The court listed the matter for further hearing in January 2026.
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The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) plea filed by an organisation, Towards Happy Earth Foundation, highlighting the challenges in the implementation of rules 55A to 55H of the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, introduced in December 2022 to regulate authorised dealers of registered vehicles.
While the rules were intended to bring accountability to the second-hand vehicle market, the petitioner's counsel argued that they have failed in practice due to regulatory gaps and procedural hurdles.
The plea said there is a major gap in the amended framework, that is, the absence of any statutory mechanism for reporting dealer-to-dealer transfers.
"In reality, most used vehicles pass through multiple dealers before reaching the final buyer, but the rules recognise only the first transfer to the initial authorised dealer.
"As a result, the chain of custody breaks after the first step, defeating the very purpose of accountability," the petition said.
It added that because of these gaps, only a very small percentage of dealers across India have been able to obtain authorised dealer registration and in Delhi, not a single dealer has got it.
Consequently, lakhs of vehicles continue to circulate without any record of who is actually in possession of those, it said.
The plea said only a small fraction of India's estimated 30,000 to 40,000 used-vehicle dealers are registered under the authorised-dealer framework.
The petition also pointed out that the 11-year-old vehicle used in the November 10 bomb blast near the Red Fort was sold several times but was still registered in its original owner's name.
The blast near the Red Fort had claimed 15 lives.
