In a major green restoration effort, the Karnataka Forest Department has reclaimed 120 acres of encroached forest land in Kadugodi Plantation, Bengaluru East Taluk, with an estimated market value exceeding ₹4,000 crore. The action was carried out under the guidance of Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre.
The operation in Survey No. 1 of Bidarahalli Hobli was supported by the Bengaluru police and involved the demarcation of land boundaries and the planting of native saplings to restore the forest ecosystem.
The department emphasized that this initiative aligns with Khandre’s directive to safeguard breathing spaces in rapidly urbanizing Bengaluru and to enforce legal measures against land encroachment.
In total, the forest department has cleared 248 acres of encroached forest land across Bengaluru over the past two years—worth over ₹8,000 crore.
Minister Khandre remarked, “With urban expansion cutting down lakhs of trees, preserving green cover is vital for the well-being of future generations.”
Earlier this week, Khandre also inaugurated the second phase of B Channasandra Lake restoration in Kasturinagar, where local residents played a crucial role in reviving the encroached water body. He stressed the need for community involvement and called for reclassification of forest-owned lakes in revenue records to prevent future encroachments.
Additionally, in Banaswadi village, 13.27 acres of forest land in Survey No. 64 were identified, of which 7 acres were misused. The department has reclaimed 6 acres 26 guntas, fenced it, and initiated reforestation.