Overview
- The state issued a final acquisition notification for 499 acres as part of a proposed 7,481‑acre Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township, a move the government says is the first tranche of a larger plan.
- Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy addressed protesting farmers on June 27, placed an empty chair for CM D.K. Shivakumar, accused the chief minister of long‑term land grabs, and pledged to fund legal challenges for the farmers.
- Local protests have been sustained for more than a year, with farmer leaders saying agitation has continued for roughly 460–500 days and security tightened around the notified areas after clashes between supporters and opponents.
- The government is offering landowners cash compensation of about Rs 2.07–2.5 crore per acre or up to a 50% share in developed land plus fixed tree rates, while opponents dispute claims of majority consent and cite petitions saying thousands of families and roughly 200,000 trees could be affected.
- The dispute has widened into a regional political contest among Vokkaliga leaders, and reporting says further administrative notifications and court action are likely, with real consequences for livelihoods, local ecology, and Bengaluru’s growth plans.