Published Aug 09, 2026 | 5:00 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 09, 2026 | 5:00 PM
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.
Synopsis: Karnataka has raised compensation for land being acquired for the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township near Bidadi to more than ₹3 crore an acre, while allowing landowners to opt for 50 percent of the developed land instead of cash. The government has issued final acquisition notifications covering 5,462 acres across seven villages, including 4,717.96 acres of farmland, despite opposition from farmers, the JD(S) and the BJP.
The Karnataka government has raised the compensation for farmers whose land is being acquired for the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township near Bidadi, better known as the Bidadi AI township project, to more than ₹3 crore an acre, as it pushes ahead with the project despite continuing opposition from farmers, the BJP and the JD(S).
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, in a post on X on Sunday, said the revised compensation was aimed at protecting farmers’ interests.
“While the previous government had set compensation at just ₹25 lakh per acre, our government has decided to provide compensation exceeding ₹3 crore per acre,” he wrote in a post on X.
Landowners unwilling to take monetary compensation will have the option of receiving 50 percent of the developed land, he said.
The announcement comes as the government has begun compensating some landowners who have agreed to give up their land. In June, the first set of cheques was reportedly handed over to seven farmers from Kempaiahanapalya, with the government then fixing the land price at ₹2.30 crore an acre, along with compensation for loss of trees.
ಬಹಳ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ನೆನೆಗುದಿಗೆ ಬಿದ್ದಿದ್ದ ಬಿಡದಿ ಟೌನ್ಶಿಪ್ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಮರುಜೀವ ನೀಡಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಇದನ್ನು ವಿಶ್ವದರ್ಜೆಯ ರಸ್ತೆಗಳು, ಮೆಟ್ರೋ ಸಂಪರ್ಕ, ಅತ್ಯಾಧುನಿಕ ಕ್ರೀಡಾಂಗಣ, ಉದ್ಯಾನವನ ಹಾಗೂ ಸುಸಜ್ಜಿತ ವಸತಿ ಒಳಗೊಂಡ ಅತ್ಯಾಧುನಿಕ ಎಐ ಸಿಟಿಯಾಗಿ ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿಪಡಿಸಲಾಗುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಗ್ರೇಟರ್ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಅಭಿವೃದ್ಧಿ ಪ್ರಾಧಿಕಾರದ ಅಡಿಯಲ್ಲಿ… pic.twitter.com/48ehpcG00O
— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) August 9, 2026
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The government has already issued final notifications for portions of the land proposed to be acquired for the township.
In July, hours after Shivakumar announced a committee to review the Bidadi Township project, the government issued a final notification to acquire 4,944.49 acres across four villages — K.G. Gollarapalya, Bannigiri, Aralalusandra and Hosuru. The notification included 4,717.96 acres of farmland.
With this notification, the government had issued final notifications for 5,462 acres across seven villages.
The acquisition process has remained contentious, with farmers questioning both the need for the project and the manner in which their land is being acquired.
Shivakumar has repeatedly maintained that farmers will not be forced to part with their land. In July, he said those unwilling to give up their land could continue farming and that “not even a single gunta of land” would be acquired forcibly.
Shivakumar on Sunday sought to present the township as a major infrastructure and employment project rather than merely a land-development scheme.
He said the Greater Bengaluru Development Authority would develop the Bidadi project as a state-of-the-art “AI City”, with metro connectivity, modern roads, housing, parks and a sports arena.
The government has said the township is intended to create employment opportunities and help accommodate Bengaluru’s future growth.
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The JD(S) has stepped up its agitation against the township project, organising a three-day padayatra from 9 August to 11 August, beginning at Bairamangala Circle in Bidadi and culminating in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
The JD(S) has stepped up its agitation against the township project.
A large protest is scheduled to be held at Freedom Park, with the padayatra being spearheaded by JD(S) youth wing president Nikhil Kumaraswamy. This marks the first such joint protest between the two parties, according to The Hindu.
The protest comes just ahead of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly’s Monsoon Session, adding a political dimension to the dispute over the township.
The JD(S) has argued that farmers should not be compelled to give up fertile agricultural land for the project. Its leaders have also demanded that the government withdraw the acquisition notifications.
