A bicycle rally by farmers opposing the Bidadi Township project near Bengaluru

More than 1,000 farmers from at least nine districts took out a cycle rally from BGS Circle in Bidadi to Bairamangala on Monday. The rally was held in response to Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha’s (KRRS) call in support of farmers protesting against the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township, popularly known as the Bidadi Township Project.

The contingent covered approximately 10 km before the farmers halted for a rally at a designated spot near Bairamangala circle. This marked the first large-scale farmers’ agitation, although local farmers had been protesting at a designated site in Bairamangala village for over 460 days.

The Karnataka government is set to acquire 9,600 acres of land for the project, including over 7,200 acres of agricultural land. Almost two million trees are likely to be cut down. The Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA), the implementing agency for the project, has issued a final notification for the acquisition of 519 acres of land in three villages. GBDA is expected to issue final notifications for other villages soon.

Following this development, farmer groups from across the state extended their support by attending the rally. Farmers came from Bengaluru South district, Bengaluru Rural district, Kolar, Chikkaballapur, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar and surrounding districts. Farmer leaders from across the state, including those from Raichur, Vijayapura and Hubballi, among others, attended the convention.

While hundreds arrived on bicycles and in cars, more than 500 farmers traveled by train from distant places. Local farmers came on tractors to join the rally.

The rally was led by Badagalapura farmers’ leader Nagendra and supported by Melukote MLA Darshan Puttannaiah. As it began amid tight security, slogans against Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is spearheading the project, were raised along the route.

In a symbolic move, the rally halted for about 15 minutes near Bidadi Industrial Area as a sign of opposition to the rampant industrialization. Kannada folk songs and other songs celebrating farmers’ resilience and contribution to society played over loudspeakers while farmers swirled green shawls, a symbol of farming identity, in the air.

Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Nagendra said the protest would be expanded and turned into a nationwide agitation. He demanded immediate designation of the acquired lands and withdrawal of the project.

The farmers disputed the statement of Mr. Shivakumar and Magadi MLA HC Balakrishna that 80% of the farmers in the region agreed to the project. The leaders made an open appeal to the chief minister and proposed a showdown at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park, where they said they were ready to release documents proving that most farmers were unwilling to part with their land.

This is the first major dispute between the government and farmer groups and the second such development in a year, after the Devanahalli protest. Moreover, this is the first major opposition that Mr. Shivakumar has faced as Chief Minister, and that too in his home district.

On 21 June, JD(S) state youth unit president Nikhil Kumaraswamy undertook an 11-km long padayatra across eight villages in Bengaluru South district, protesting the proposed Bidadi Township project in Bengaluru South district. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Published – 22 Jun 2026 11:59 IST