Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday, 27 June announced that the state government would erect 'Walls of Gratitude' across Bengaluru to permanently honour landowners who voluntarily surrender their land for public welfare projects. The announcement was made at the 517th Kempegowda Jayanthi celebrations held at Kempegowda Layout, developed by the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA).

What the Wall of Gratitude Entails

Shivakumar said the government has decided to inscribe the names of landowners who give up their land without objection for public welfare projects — including industrial areas, schools, lakes, and road construction — on dedicated Walls of Gratitude. 'The sacrifice of these landowners will be commemorated,' he said, framing the initiative as a way to create lasting public memory around civic contribution.

The Chief Minister inaugurated a 10-lane road named after former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna during the event. He said this road, currently 11 km long, would eventually be extended into a 123-km corridor, and a Wall of Gratitude would be built along its stretch to honour those who gave up land for it.

Bengaluru Business Corridor and Land Compensation

Shivakumar revealed that the process of constructing the 123-km Bengaluru Business Corridor is underway, with tenders already called. He said the government would shortly issue the final notification for the stretch connecting Mysuru Road with Electronic City.

On land compensation, he announced a significant policy position: landowners affected by the corridor project would be offered a choice of 35 per cent commercial land, 40 per cent residential land, or Transferable Development Rights (TDR). 'Landowners may take whichever option they prefer,' he said.

Infrastructure Push: Tunnel Roads and Peripheral Ring Road

The Chief Minister said work on a shorter tunnel road near Hebbal would begin within days, as part of a broader plan to ease Bengaluru's chronic traffic congestion. A dedicated team of officials would be constituted to oversee these projects. He also noted that the long-pending Peripheral Ring Road project, which had stalled under previous governments, is now being actively implemented under his watch.

Kempegowda Legacy and Green Bengaluru Drive

Marking the Jayanthi, the BDA planted 15 lakh saplings across the city as part of a green Bengaluru drive. Shivakumar called for every school in the city to adopt an area and run tree-planting programmes for children, with a competition to be organised by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA).

He also announced the establishment of a Kempegowda Study Centre at Bengaluru University, with Minister K.H. Muniyappa providing 9.5 acres of land from his constituency for the purpose. A development programme worth ₹10 crore is also being undertaken at Huthridurga.

Shivakumar invoked what he called the 'three Ks of Bengaluru' — Kempegowda, who built the city; Kengal Hanumanthaiah, who built the Vidhana Soudha; and S.M. Krishna, who took Bengaluru to the international stage — urging citizens to remember their contributions. With Bengaluru's infrastructure backlog mounting, the coming months will test whether these announcements translate into ground-level progress.