Bengaluru: The Janata Dal (Secular) on Sunday launched a strong agitation against the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT), which has been billed as the country’s first AI-powered integrated township. The township is planned over 8,400 acres in the Bengaluru South district, sparking opposition from local farmers and the opposition party.
JD(S) leaders claimed that the project threatens to dispossess small farmers and alleged misrepresentation regarding land acquisition by the state government.
Kumaraswamy voices opposition
H D Kumaraswamy, Union Minister for Heavy Industries, addressed a rally virtually from New Delhi, asserting that the party would not allow “even an inch of land” to be acquired for the project. He accused Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar, who is championing the project, of attempting to “loot land around Bidadi”.
Kumaraswamy further alleged that the government was providing false information about the extent of land to be acquired. “They had lied that about 3,000 acres of the land required was government land. In reality, it is far less,” he said, highlighting concerns over transparency.
Youth wing leads protests
Nikhil Kumaraswamy, President of the JD(S) youth wing, who spearheaded the protest on Sunday, said that farmers from Bidadi, Byramangala, and surrounding villages have been protesting for several days against the project. “The majority of those who will lose land are small farmers. The state government is trying to grab this land from them,” he added.
He also claimed that GBIT officials were carrying out land surveys without consulting farmers and that farmers were being threatened to surrender their land.
Project details and government stance
The preliminary notification for the GBIT project was issued in March 2025. Earlier this month, Shivakumar stated that the township would be developed as India’s first and largest AI-powered integrated township, envisioned as a second central business hub of Karnataka. The project is estimated to cost around Rs 20,000 crore and is expected to be completed over three years.
During his visit to the site on Saturday, Shivakumar clarified that H D Kumaraswamy had first issued the notification for the project during his tenure as Chief Minister. He asserted that the government would proceed with the project within the constraints of law, claiming that farmers were not opposed to the development.
Conclusion
The launch of JD(S)’s agitation underscores rising tensions around the GBIT project, with opposition leaders raising concerns over land acquisition, transparency, and the rights of small farmers. As the government pushes forward, the coming months will likely see further clashes between developers and local communities over the ambitious AI-powered township.