Former Karnataka chief minister Kumaraswamy to visit villages along the NICE corridor

Former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy announced a road‑show that will take him through villages bordering the National Infrastructure Corridor for Economic development (NICE) from October 2. According to The Hindu, the senior JD(S) leader plans to meet families who lost farmland when the state cleared land for the four‑lane highway linking Bangalore to Nandi Hills. During the first stop, Kumaraswamy listened to farmers’ representations and pledged to oppose the project on their behalf.

The NICE project, first conceived in 2015, aims to create a high‑speed, limited‑access road that shortens travel time between Bangalore and the popular hill‑station of Nandi Hills. The plan required the acquisition of over 1,200 acres of agricultural land across several taluks, prompting protests from local cultivators who fear loss of livelihood and inadequate compensation. The controversy intensified after the state government invoked the Land Acquisition Act of 1894, a move critics say sidestepped newer, more protective legislation. Over the past two years, court petitions, farmer rallies, and political debates have kept the project in the headlines.

Kumaraswamy’s outreach comes at a politically sensitive moment. The JD(S) is positioning itself as a champion of agrarian interests ahead of the upcoming state assembly elections, while the ruling coalition has defended the highway as essential for decongesting Bangalore’s traffic and spurring regional growth. By meeting displaced families directly, the former chief minister hopes to consolidate rural support and pressure the government to either halt the construction or renegotiate compensation terms.

Farmers who have been surveyed by local NGOs report that many received compensation that falls short of market value, leaving them unable to purchase equivalent plots elsewhere. The Karnataka Land Reforms Department has, in response, announced a review of the compensation framework, but implementation has been slow. If Kumaraswamy’s promises translate into legislative or legal action, the NICE project could face delays, affecting the projected timeline that slated completion by 2028.

The upcoming tour underscores a broader pattern in Indian infrastructure development where rapid urban expansion often clashes with rural land rights. Stakeholders ranging from environmental groups to transport planners are watching the Karnataka episode closely, as its outcome may set precedents for how future corridors are negotiated across the country.