State Cabinet clears ₹12,150 cr. Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township in Ramanagara
The Karnataka State Cabinet has approved a proposal by the Bengaluru Metropolitan Region Development Authority (BMRDA) to develop the Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township in Ramanagara district. Designed as a self-sufficient and eco-friendly urban space, the township will be built on the Work-Live-Play concept, integrating residential, economic, and recreational zones for balanced development.
Spanning 8,943 acres across 10 villages in Ramanagara and Harohalli taluks, the project will be overseen by the Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA) under the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities Act, 1987. The Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) has already acquired initial land for the township, which is estimated to cost ₹12,150 crore.
Strategically positioned near major industrial hubs such as Harohalli and Bidadi Industrial Estates, the township will be well-connected to key transport routes, including the Bengaluru-Mysuru national highway (NH-275), Bengaluru-Dindigul highway (NH-209), and NICE Road. Metro connectivity through Mysuru Road and Kanakapura Road is also planned, alongside a proposed 60-metre-wide road linking NH-275 and NH-209 to ensure seamless transit.
With a five-year completion timeline, financial incentives such as stamp duty exemptions and registration fee discounts are proposed to attract investors and landowners. While no financial support is expected from the State Budget, regulatory approvals and exemptions similar to those granted for the Dr. Shivaram Karanth Layout are anticipated to accelerate relocation from central Bengaluru and encourage investment in the new township.
Development will begin with the residential sector, where landowners will be compensated with plots. The project aims to integrate local village settlements, preserving traditional communities while promoting social and economic inclusivity. Essential infrastructure, including a stable water supply from the Cauvery River and a robust electricity network, will further enhance the township’s viability.
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Congress using hijab issue to pacify minority anger, alleges Karnataka LoP R Ashoka
Bengaluru: Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka has accused the Congress government of using the hijab issue to placate what he described as discontent among minority voters after the Davanagere by-election.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Ashoka alleged that the state government, instead of addressing issues such as price rise, corruption, farmers’ distress and law and order, was attempting to retain its minority vote base by reviving the hijab issue.
Referring to the 2022 dress code introduced by the BJP government, which prohibited hijab in schools and colleges, Ashoka said the Karnataka High Court had upheld the policy and emphasised the importance of discipline in educational institutions.
He questioned the Congress government’s move to revisit the issue and asked whether setting aside the court-backed policy to benefit one community could be described as secularism.
Ashoka further alleged that while the government was willing to permit hijab, it continued to prohibit saffron shawls.
He accused the government of dividing students on religious lines rather than treating schools and colleges as spaces of equality.
Drawing a comparison with Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal, Ashoka claimed that excessive appeasement politics had harmed the state and warned that the Congress in Karnataka could face a similar political response.
He said voters in Karnataka would teach the Congress a lesson for what he termed “vote-bank politics” and for compromising constitutional and judicial principles.
