Displaced lives, lost land, fragile future: What Bengaluru’s urbanisation really cost local communities

What Bengaluru’s urbanisation really cost local communities

The race for urbanisation in Bengaluru has turned farmlands into construction sites, villages into gated communities, and the quiet stretches into zones of urban development. Among the most notable transformation is the Kempegowda International Airport, whose establishment has become the epicentre of rapid change in regions like Devanahalli, Arasinakunte, and Channarayapatna.

These regions were once flourished with greenery, agricultural land and self-sustaining rural communities. However, the same area now comprises luxury hotels, tech parks, highways, and fenced-off construction zones.

Communities displaced

Even after two decades of the airport’s inauguration, many former residents of the surrounding villages continue to feel the aftershocks of relocation. In Balepet Colony, a resettlement area created for those displaced by the airport, 70-year-old Bhagyalakshmi said, “We were promised a better life. But without land, my husband and I must work every day just to eat. At our age, that’s not easy,”

Bhagyalakshmi’s family had owned three acres in Arasinakunte village, but the land acquisition split the property between siblings. She was awarded a compensation of Rs 5 lakh per acre, which could barely cover the cost of building a new house. “We could build a roof over our heads, but we lost everything else. We used to grow ragi, vegetables. Now we depend on the market for everything,” Deccan Herald quoted her as saying.

Residents were assured of better services

At the time of their relocation, the residents of the locality were assured of better infrastructure and services, including a hospital, a temple, community centres, etc. However, none were fulfilled. “We don’t even have a boundary wall. The road runs right beside our homes. Just this week, my son’s scooter was stolen. There’s no sense of security,” a woman residing in the resettlement area said.

“There are no open spaces, no areas for recreation or gathering. We feel boxed in,” she added.

Study shows worrying stats

A 2024 study conducted by the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, found that over 35 per cent of farmers in North Bengaluru, Doddaballapur, and Devanahalli have sold their land in the last two decades. The study also found that 50 per cent of urban farmers, 46 per cent of rural farmers, and 38 per cent of peri-urban farmers have relinquished ownership of their agricultural land.

A 2023 spatial analysis using Landsat data between 1973 and 2022 found that Bengaluru’s agricultural land had shrunk from 58.59 per cent of the city’s land area to just 32.9 per cent. At the same time, built-up areas had grown from 3.85 per cent to 55.71 per cent.

The mirage of jobs

One of the most cited justifications for land acquisition is the creation of jobs. But for many displaced families, that promise has remained a mirage.

“The compensation might help you build a house, but it does not let you buy land again nearby. Prices are just too high,” Muniraju, a former farmer in Balepet colony explained.

Most of the jobs that do emerge from the nearby industrial zones or the airport are contractual in nature, low-paying, and require skills that many former farmers simply don’t possess.

The fragility of compensation

The financial compensation from land acquisition may seem generous as the land prices in the region are now between Rs 3 crore and Rs 8 crore per acre. But corruption, and red tape erode these gains.

Prabhakar, a farmer from Muddenahalli, lost 2.5 acres during the creation of a hi-tech aviation park in 2016. “I was supposed to receive Rs 60 lakh per acre. But the agent who handled the paperwork demanded Rs 45 lakh as his cut. I had no choice,” he asserted. Without formal documentation or legal support, many farmers find themselves vulnerable.

What comes next?

For many farmers, the sudden influx of money post-sale leads to short-term prosperity. But that prosperity often does not last long. “Most people regret selling their land. Only a few used the money wisely,” said Narayanamma, a farmer in Devanahalli.

Those with larger landholdings sometimes manage to reinvest in land elsewhere or start small businesses. But for the majority, the transition to a sustainable livelihood is far from guaranteed.

A 2016 survey of 160 displaced farmers found that only 17.2 per cent managed to transition into formal employment. Others turned to manual labour (8.6 per cent), informal trades (16 per cent), and commercial activities like poultry farming or real estate, albeit in very small numbers.

According to urban experts, the broader issue is the lack of a cohesive development vision. “Development is being driven by cheap land and real estate demand, not by any coherent plan,” divulged Vishala Padmanabhan, founder of Buffalo Back, an organic farming initiative.

Much of the growth on Bengaluru’s fringes has occurred despite an outdated Master Plan. The current plan expired in 2015, and a Revised Master Plan (RMP) 2031 was withdrawn in 2020 after legal hurdles. A new edition is under development but remains incomplete.

An IISc study found that Bengaluru has the worst urban sprawl in the country, with built-up area increasing by over 600% in recent decades.

Experts suggest a stronger role for local planning authorities, such as gram panchayats and town municipal councils, in shaping development. “Why can’t we plan urban villages, areas that retain rural character but integrate into the city’s fabric with basic amenities and community life?” asked Anjali Karol Mohan, urban planner and NLSIU visiting faculty.