Synopsis:
- Farmers have protested over the proposed greenfield townships being built on their agricultural lands in Bidadi Karnataka. This article explores the compensation, village-wise opposition, consent, government’s response and the recent developments with regard to the project.
The proposed Bidadi AI City in Karnataka, has been designed to be one of the biggest technology and urban development hubs close to Bengaluru. The proposed project has faced protests from farmers for land acquisition. The project is shown as a greenfield opportunity to bring investment in technology and artificial intelligence. Now the disagreement has become a major problem for the project, while some villages have agreed to the acquisition, others are against it.
What is Bidadi AI City Project?
Bidadi, in South Bangalore, is a part of the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT), a massive greenfield urban development project slated to be built around Bidadi in Bengaluru South district. The township is envisioned as a technological urban centre with approximately 2,000 acres dedicated to the AI City, along with residential, commercial and social facilities.
The region has nine revenue villages which are incorporated in the land acquisition process; Kempayyanapalya, Mandalahalli, Vaderahalli, Bannigiri, Aralalasandra, K.G. Gollarapalya, Hosur, Kempaiahnapalya and another notified village under the Bidadi/Harohalli area. The government believes the project will help to scale Bengaluru’s tech ecosystem and generate new investment and employment prospects. But the land for the greenfield township has become a bone of contention between developers and farmers, both of whom are arguing in compensation, land value and the future of farming.
Why are farmers protesting Bidadi Ai City?
- Land acquisition: Farmers protest against the development of fertile agricultural land for “greenfield” township and AI City.
- Compensation: The government started with an initial offer of ₹2.07-₹2.14 crore per acre, and it was reported that later on, offers were raised to ₹3 crore or higher per acre.
- 50% of the developed land: Those who would not like the cash compensation have also been offered 50% of the developed land of the township. Later was changed to a 60:40/land pooling model paired with cash or an annual annuity stipend.
- Valuation concern: Farmers say that the compensation is not in line with the potential worth of their land when Bidadi is developed as an urban and technology hub.
- Red-zone restrictions: Some farmers argue that they were not able to freely develop or sell their land for years because they were subjected to development restrictions. They now claim that these limitations lowered land values, which were used to compensate them.
- Loss of livelihood: The acquisition will impact those who depend on agriculture, dairy and sericulture and therefore it is not merely a matter of the sale price.
- Future appreciation: Farmers are worried about the fact that they may forgo substantial future appreciation if they relinquish their land at this time as Bidadi region urbanises.
- Consent: Some farmers have accepted what the government has offered them, but others say they are not prepared to give up their land and are asking for more. The response is not uniform as some farmers have recently reported their support of the project.
Which villages have agreed and which have opposed?
The proposed township is spread across nine revenue villages and 16 non-revenue villages with the initial phase of land acquisition being targeted towards Kempayyanapalya, Mandalahalli and Vaderahalli. The three villages together have approximately 518 acres with 754 farmers. Some landowners have been voluntary parties to relinquishing their land, while farmers in some affected areas remain opposed to the acquisition, especially in regards to compensation and land valuation.
What is the government doing to address the protests?
The Karnataka government has taken several steps in response to the protests. It has raised the compensation to over ₹3 crore per acre, from the previously announced as approx ₹2.5crore, and has provided farmers who do not wish to take the money a choice of 50% of the land developed in the township which was later changed to a 60:40 / land-pooling structure accompanied by an annuity payout alongside straight cash offers. The government has also insisted that the acquisition is voluntary and that farmers who do not want to sell their land will not be compelled to do so.
Disagreements in law on land acquisition
The Karnataka High Court in July dismissed a PIL seeking a review of acquisition of approximately 7,400 acres in nine villages, saying that payment of compensation under the Fair Compensation Act, 2013, does not take away the acquisition under Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act. Farmers have been claiming that the government is paying compensation in valuation rates for non-agricultural land, while the land being acquired is agricultural land.
Conclusion
The Bidadi AI City project is caught between Bengaluru’s development goals and farmers’ concerns over land. The protest continued even after the Karnataka government increased its compensation and promised the farmers not to forcibly acquire land.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Jasmitha
Dieser Artikel ist neu veröffentlicht von / This article is republished from: Trade Brains, 15.08.2026
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