Bidadi Township deemed continuation of earlier plans, CM clarifies

Bengaluru, July 15 — Karnataka Chief Minister D. K. Shivkumar told reporters that the Bidadi Township Project is not a fresh venture but a continuation of initiatives launched by former state administrations. He said the scheme was first proposed on September 23, 2006, during the tenure of then‑Chief Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy, who identified five satellite towns—Bidadi, Nandgudi, Kasba, Ramnagar, and others—to ease Bengaluru’s urban pressure.

Subsequent governments, including those led by Kumaraswamy and B. S. Yediyurappa, kept the proposal alive through the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) and invited global bidders under a public‑private partnership (PPP) model.

Shivkumar highlighted that his role is to honour the decisions of his predecessors while ensuring that any land acquisition respects farmers’ consent. He reiterated that no farmer will be forced to part with his or her fields and that the project will move forward only after voluntary participation.

The chief minister also warned that political opponents are attempting to create confusion among the agrarian community, accusing them of conspiracy to derail the long‑standing plan.