Karnataka Chief Minister Announces 'Walls of Gratitude' for Landowners

Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar announced a new "Walls of Gratitude" scheme to honor landowners who voluntarily surrender property for public‑welfare projects. The initiative was unveiled during the 517th Kempegowda Jayanti celebrations in Bengaluru, with plans to inscribe the names of contributors on memorial walls along the 10‑lane road named after former chief minister S. M. Krishna, which will eventually extend to a 123‑km Bengaluru Business Corridor.

The announcement also included related infrastructure and environmental measures: a tree‑planting drive of 1.5 million saplings by the Bangalore Development Authority, a school competition to nurture trees, the establishment of a Kempegowda Study Centre at Bengaluru University on 9.5 acres, and a ₹10 crore development programme at Huthridurga. Landowners affected by the corridor will receive options of commercial or residential land or transferable development rights, and a shorter tunnel road near Hebbal will begin construction to ease traffic.

These policies aim to commemorate past contributions of leaders like Kempegowda, Kengal Hanumanthaiah and S. M. Krishna while advancing Bengaluru’s infrastructure and green initiatives.