Bidadi township: 22% of landowners in seven villages near Bengaluru get compensation over three months
According to GBDA data accessed by The Hindu, there are about 4,116 landowners, or people holding khata numbers, in the seven villages, of whom 928, or 22.54%, have received compensation.
Farmers opposing the project say the figure reflects a reluctance among farmers to part with their land while officials of GBDA, the implementing agency, attribute the slow pace to a lengthy and cumbersome process
Published - November 05, 2026 12:44 pm IST - Bengaluru
Final notifications for two more villages were issued recently, and the process of disbursing compensation for the land is yet to begin. | Photo Credit: File photo
About 22% of the total landowners in the seven villages notified for the Bidadi township project have received compensation, while the rest have either not consented to parting with their land or are yet to receive compensation.
Final notifications for two more villages were issued recently, and the process of disbursing compensation is yet to begin.
Farmers opposing the project say the figures reflect a general reluctance among farmers to part with their land while officials of the Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA), the implementing agency, say the process is lengthy and takes time.
The officials added that many farmers had purchased land elsewhere after opting for cash compensation, pointing to data that shows most landowners are choosing the cash option. “Many take cash compensation and have been investing in lands elsewhere,” a senior official said.
Over ₹1,400 crore released
According to GBDA data accessed by The Hindu, there are about 4,116 landowners, or people holding khata numbers, in the seven villages, of whom 928, or 22.54%, have received compensation. The GBDA has released ₹1,470.89 crore in compensation so far, against the estimated disbursement pegged at ₹9,081 crore. With this, the GBDA has acquired 908 acres of land against 9,640 acres that are needed.
The data shows that of the 928 landowners, 689 have opted for cash compensation, accounting for about 74% of the total. Another 168 (18.1%) have opted for developed sites as compensation, while the remaining 71 (7.6%) have sought a combination of developed sites and cash compensation.
The GBDA has covered most of the acquisitions in Mandalahalli, where the agency has issued compensation to 62.9% of the total khata holders. The least progress has been recorded in K.G. Gollarapalya, where only 2.77% of the total beneficiaries have received compensation.
Where is the interest among landowners?
Prakash H.G., a protesting farmer, pointed to the difference between the estimated compensation amount and the amount released so far to highlight the lack of interest among farmers in giving up their land.
“They have been claiming that 80% of farmers are ready to give up their land, but the number of people who have received compensation itself shows that there is a lack of interest among farmers. Even three months after disbursement of compensation began, fewer than 1,000 people have been covered,” he said.
Yashavantha T., general secretary of the Karnataka Prantha Raitha Sangha (KPRS), who is leading the protest, alleged that there could be discrepancies in the number of genuine farmers who have received compensation so far.
“We already have two cases of people fraudulently attempting to claim compensation. There could be many more such cases,” he alleged.
However, a senior GBDA official told The Hindu that many farmers were already pressuring the authority to disburse compensation, but the process is taking time. “Achieving 22% in three months shows progress, because the process is lengthy,” the official added.
Published - November 05, 2026 12:44 pm IST
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