Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar pushes police reforms as his bungalow renovation sparks staff‑housing concerns

On June 12, Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar travelled to New Delhi and met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, presenting a detailed memorandum that asked the centre to fund a series of police‑modernisation initiatives. The requests included granting the coveted “President’s Colour” honour to the state police, creating two new India Reserve Battalion units in Vijayanagara and Ramanagara, and securing Assistance to States for Modernisation of Police (ASUMP) resources for advanced command‑and‑control centres, communication equipment, CSR‑driven funding, upgraded training facilities, prison CCTV upgrades and the establishment of a Karnataka Cyber Crime Control and Coordination Centre.

At the same time, the 160‑year‑old Kumarakrupa bungalow is being refurbished to serve as Shivakumar’s official residence. Nearby government staff quarters, built over six decades ago, remain in a dilapidated state with leaking roofs, poor water supply and inadequate infrastructure. Opposition leaders and BJP officials have criticised the contrast, urging better amenities for essential service staff and questioning the priority of spending on the chief minister’s residence.