BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced that the government would erect ‘Walls of Gratitude’ to honour landowners who voluntarily part with their land for public infrastructure projects such as roads, industrial areas, schools and lakes.
He was speaking at Kempegowda’s 517th birth anniversary celebrations held at the Bangalore Development Authority’s (BDA’s) Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout on Saturday.
He said the initiative will first be implemented along the newly inaugurated SM Krishna Road and will eventually form part of the proposed 123-km Bengaluru Business Corridor. Shivakumar said the names of all those who contributed land for the project would be permanently inscribed on the wall.
As part of efforts to create a greener Bengaluru, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) planted 15 lakh saplings across the city in a single day, setting a Guinness World Record. The CM proposed involving schoolchildren in maintaining green spaces by assigning each school a specific area and organising competitions to encourage nurturing trees.
The CM also announced the establishment of a Kempegowda Study Centre at Bengaluru University. He said Minister KH Muniyappa had allotted 9.5 acres of land for the centre, while development works worth Rs 10 crore were being undertaken at Hutridurga.
“Criticism fades, but good work remains,” Shivakumar said, adding that while the Peripheral Ring Road proposal had remained on paper for years, the present government had initiated concrete steps to implement it.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara said Bengaluru’s global stature was the result of Kempegowda’s vision and the contributions of leaders such as former Chief Minister SM Krishna, under whose tenure the IT revolution transformed the city. He said the proposed township at Bidadi would help reduce pressure on Bengaluru and alleged that the Opposition was unnecessarily opposing the project.
Parameshwara said Karnataka had attracted investment commitments worth Rs 10.25 lakh crore and stressed the need for continued infrastructure development to address traffic and water challenges.
BDA plants 15 lakh saplings
The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) on Saturday planted 15 lakh native saplings across Bengaluru in a single day, marking one of India’s largest green cover initiatives and reinforcing Karnataka’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
Organised to commemorate Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Jayanti, the drive witnessed participation from thousands of citizens, students, government officials, NGOs, resident welfare associations and corporate volunteers. Saplings were planted at Nadaprabhu Kempegowda Layout, Banashankari 6th Stage, Dr Shivarama Karanth Layout, Oxygen Tree Parks and Miyawaki forests. The initiative, coupled with the Kempegowda Run 2026, aims to enhance green cover, improve air quality and strengthen biodiversity across Bengaluru.
