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The Karnataka government has constituted a four-member high-level committee headed by retired High Court judge Justice Guhanathan Narendar to review concerns over the proposed Bidadi Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township project.
The committee has been asked to examine various aspects of the project and submit a comprehensive report to the state government within 30 days. The panel also includes retired Chief Secretary SV Ranganath, retired Additional Chief Secretary S R Umashankar and retired IAS officer Prasanna Kumar.
The decision comes amid growing opposition from farmers and landowners in villages that are likely to be affected by the proposed township. The government has reiterated that land acquisition for the project will be entirely voluntary and that no landowner will be forced to give up land.
The Bidadi township project, located around 40 km from Bengaluru, was first proposed in 2006 but remained stalled for years. The Congress government revived the project with a modified plan, citing growing demand for industrial investment and development around Bengaluru. The proposed township is spread across around 7,481 acres between Bidadi and Harohalli in Bengaluru South district.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the project would be developed as a modern integrated township featuring an AI City, world-class roads, metro connectivity, a sports arena, parks and housing.
“The Bidadi Township project, which had been languishing in obscurity for many years, is being given a new lease on life,” Shivakumar said, adding that the project would transform the landscape of Bengaluru's South district.
The government has also sought to address concerns over compensation. Shivakumar said the previous government had fixed compensation at around Rs 25 lakh per acre, while the current government would provide more than Rs 3 crore per acre. Farmers who prefer land instead of monetary compensation would be given 50% of the developed land, he said.
“Protecting farmers' interests is our top priority,” Shivakumar said, reiterating that there would be no coercion in the land acquisition process.
The government said the committee would consider suggestions and feedback from residents and other stakeholders before any further decision is taken on the project. The objective, it said, was to build consensus and ensure that the concerns of affected communities were addressed.
The move came just before a three-day padayatra announced by the opposition Janata Dal (Secular) and Bharatiya Janata Party against the proposed township. The march, which is scheduled to begin from Byramangala, one of the villages expected to be affected by the project, will culminate at Bengaluru's Freedom Park, where the opposition parties plan to hold a convention against the proposed displacement of farmers.
Union Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy said on Saturday that JDS MLAs would raise the issue in the upcoming Karnataka Assembly session.
The opposition has accused the state government of pushing ahead with the project despite concerns among farmers over land acquisition and displacement. The government, however, maintains that the revised proposal seeks to minimise the displacement of residential settlements, provide fair compensation and create employment opportunities.
