OUR HISTORY

The Sanction was accorded in Government Order No. HMA 62 MNJ 75 dated 31.12.1975 to breach the Challaghatta Tank Bed by the BDA and develop the whole tank bed and the surrounding area as a residential layout. However the Chairman, BDA had expressed his opinion that the costing involved in breaching and developing the surrounding areas for residential layout was unrealistic and therefore the layout was not feasible. Hence this decision was dropped. The Government at that time having pleaded repeatedly requests of Karnataka Golf Association for the formation of golf course of international standard, deputed a team of officers from the State Government, BDA and the Divisional Commissioner-cum-Administrator, Bangalore City Corporation to survey the site and give their opinion on the suitability for constructing the golf course. They found the area for the golf course and recommended that the Challaghatta Tank Bed area can be converted to an International Golf Course. The purpose of establishing a Golf Course of International Standards which would provide a great boost to golf in Karnataka in particular and the entire South India in general. It would also give a great boost to the tourism potential of Karnataka. The object of allotting the land to the KGA was to promote golf tourism by establishing a Golf Course of International Standards so that the Golfers from all over the world could take part in Tournaments and promote Bangalore as a tourist destination. The KGA had approached the Government of Karnataka for allotment of suitable land for constructing a Golf Course. Based on the representations made by the KGA, a meeting was called by the Government of Karnataka on 17 August 1979 under the chairmanship of Mr., Narasimha Rao the Chief Secretary. The meeting was attended by all Senior Officers of Government of Karnataka as well as representatives of the Karnataka Golf Association. In the said meeting a proposal for constructing a golf course was discussed at length. In order to identify suitable land several proposals were examined and finally a decision was taken to use the Challaghatta Tank Bed which was in disuse near HAL Airport in consultation with Bangalore Development Authority after establishing suitability of the land for construction of a Golf Course. Further a decision was taken to transfer the land from PWD to the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, so that the KSTDC can lease the land to KGA for the above referred project. Mr. R. Gundu Rao the then Chief Minister of Karnataka also realized the need of establishing an International Standard golf course at Bangalore and he facilitated in handing over 124 acres of the disused Challaghata tank bed at Bangalore to KSTDC with a mandate to develop an International Standard Golf Course. Thereafter, a Government order No.HT 38/TTT 80 datd.17th May 1980 was issued for handing over 124 acres of land subject to survey to KSTDC. It was also decided that the KSTDC would join hands with KGA to design and construct Golf Course with the seed amount of Rs.25 lacs. The KSTDC vide their letter No.545/80-81 dated.30 May 1980 invited the KGA to design and construct a championship Golf Course and further agreeing in principal for leasing 124 acres of land by the corporation in favour of the Association. The KGA accepted the proposal and thereafter an agreement was signed on 21st August 1980 between KSTDC and the KGA for the period of 30 years and the said land was handed over to KGA immediately thereafter. The establishment of golf course was a tourism oriented project. KSTDC empowered the KGA as their Attorney vide General Power of Attorney Agreement entered on 08.06.1983 to execute on behalf of KSTDC all acts connected with the formation of the golf course upon the scheduled property. In order to demarcate the boundaries of the land and to avoid encroachments the KGA requested the Revenue Department to carry out a detailed survey of the land. The Revenue Authorities after issuing due notice to all the survey and fixed the boundaries. A plan was also prepared and the same was handed over to KGA. Based on this demarcation, the KGA decided to put up a fencing in order to protect the leased property. Whilst fencing on the Eastern and Western side was almost complete, the work on Southern side has been completed for substantial portion. Before the same could be completed some of the land owners on the Southern side of the Golf Course protested and thereafter stopped the work on the plea that by putting up fencing they would not have accessibility from the Challaghatta village to Ulsoor since they would have to use a round about route. A meeting was held with the representatives of the villagers and the land owners when it was pointed out that fencing was being put up in accordance with survey conducted by the Revenue Authorities. Despite this they have been using strong arm tactics by assaulting our workers resulting in the work being totally stopped. The Association has spent more than a crore rupees for the developments of the Golf Course and further amounts are continuously being spent. In order to protect the equipment that has been laid on the Golf Course, the fencing work was completed. In 1986 Mr. Ramakrishna Hedge, the then Chief Minister of Karnataka, made possible for early construction of 9 holes of the golf course by sanctioning Rs.25 lakhs. The mandate given was to establish a 9 hole Golf Course before the commencement of the SAARC Summit which was to be held at Bangalore In consultation with KSTDC, the KGA invited proposal from various foreign architects for designing the Golf Course. After considering various proposals, it was decided to award the contract to M/s.Thomson Wolveridge & Associates, Australia This was approved by KSTDC also. The association obtained the necessary permission from the RBI for remitting the architectural fees in foreign exchange and proceeded with the project. The Hon’ble Chief Minister held periodic review meetings to know the status of Golf Course project and as a sequel to this he reconstituted the Management Committee and specified few conditions in an agreement that was signed with KSTDC in the year 1986. In order to improve the financial position of the Golf Association, a directive was given by the Government to many Karnataka Government Undertakings to enroll themselves as Corporate Associates of the KGA. The Management Committee was also requested to raise funds from the private sector. With this a 9 hole golf course was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister on 28.12.1986 and this 9 hole were completed within the stipulated time for the SAARC Heads of State Conference held at Bangalore. Subsequently, the work started on the remaining nine holes and was completed in a record time. The splendid 18 holes KGA Golf Course of International Standards was designed by M/s.Thomson Wolveridge Associates, an Australian Golf Course Architectural Firm. On 28th May 1989, a full-fledged 18-hole course was opened to golfers. In the past the Hon’ble High Court of Karnataka had constituted a Committee by an order to examine the rejuvenation of tanks in and around Bangalore and the committee comprised of Secretary – Revenue, Chairman – BWSSB Commissioner – BDA Secretary – Minor Irrigation Dept., Chairman – Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, Commissioner – Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike, Chief Executive Officer – Lake Development Authority, Director – Town Planning, as members; the committee was chaired by Hon’ble Justice Shri. N. K. Patil, a sitting judge of the High Court of Karnataka. In their report dated 26.02.2011, various measures for rejuvenation of tanks in Bangalore and around have been brought out by them. It may be noted that Challaghatta Tank is not listed in the report of the Committee and it is also to be noted that over 30 years the land is being used as a Golf Course of national and international repute. During the year 1985, the Govt. of Karnataka had constituted an Expert Committee under the Chairmanship of Shri. N. Lakshman Rau, IAS (Retd) to examine all the drawbacks and problems relating to preservation, restoration or otherwise or existing tanks/lakes in and around Bangalore. The committee after going into the details has observed that the Challaghatta Tank located towards South of HAL Road and towards East of Domlur Layout was in disuse and they had recommended developing it as a Golf Course. Further the Committee’s recommendation in respect of Challaghatta Tank is “… The Committee has no comments as it is being developed as a Golf Course”. The Government in its orders dated 11th February 1988 had accepted the recommendations of the Expert Committee. The CDP has classified the KGA Golf Course area as a valley zone and the permissible activities are parks, open spaces and play grounds. The Golf Course is an activity which fits into the zone and accordingly CDP mentions the Challaghatta Lake Bed as Karnataka Classic Golf Course. KGA has made large investments to develop the marshy tank bed into a Golf Course which has been constantly upgraded to a Champion Golf Course of international standards and thereby being host to many International and National Golf Tournaments of repute. Karnataka Golf Association is managed its Managing Committee consisting of Five Government Nominees and Ten elected members of the Association who hold the office for a term of one year. Karnataka Golf Association has spent over Rs.70.00 crores till now, to bring the Golf Course to an international standard. It has about 170 employees and is also providing indirect employment to more than 350 people. To date, the Association has enhanced its self-sufficiency with the inclusion of a tertiary treatment plant constructed by M/s.Degremont, France and a world class automated irrigation system installed by M/s.Rainbird International, USA, befitting a fine golf course of global standard. The gymnasium in the health club was upgraded with state-of-the-art equipment and six more latest machines were bought recently to add to the latest TORO fleet of course-maintenance equipment. Flood-lighting of nine holes to begin with, extension and modernization of the floodlit driving range and extension of club house facilities are a few of the projects that will materialize in the immediate future. The KGA has indeed become a prestigious ‘Golf Destination’ in South India. The Sultans of Mysore have left lalbagh, the Britishers the Cubbon park and we hope that the land mark left by our own Chief Ministers, the “KGA” would be preserved for the posterity. The land comprising of the golf course has lost the earlier characteristics of an irrigation tank, but with innumerable water bodies within the bed, it continues to function as a recharger of groundwater.