From Royal Stud Farm to Racetrack: Karnataka High Court Intervenes in Kunigal Land Row

A legal challenge against the relocation of the Bangalore Turf Club to a historic 18th-century equine facility puts the spotlight on the state’s environmental accountability.

The sprawling 469-acre Kunigal Stud Farm, an equine landmark dating back to the reign of Tipu Sultan, is currently at the centre of a fierce legal battle. On Monday, a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court, led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru and Justice K.S. Hemalekha, issued notices to both the Union and State governments following a public interest litigation (PIL) that challenges the state’s decision to lease 110 acres of this historic land to the Bangalore Turf Club (BTC).

The petition, filed by Bengaluru-based urban conservationist Vijay Nishanth, seeks to quash the government order dated March 6, 2026. This order, born out of a state cabinet decision, aims to relocate the BTC’s racecourse from the heart of the capital to the stud farm. For the petitioner, this is not merely a land-use dispute; it is an attempt to carve up a mature, self-sustaining ecosystem that has functioned for centuries.

The Ecological Stakes

The core of the legal challenge rests on the claim that the Kunigal stud farm is far from "vacant land." The petition highlights the presence of heritage trees, diverse wildlife, and a critical hydrological link to the nearby Kunigal lake. Nishanth contends that the government pushed through this move without conducting mandatory environmental impact assessments, biodiversity audits, or hydrological studies.

The fear among environmentalists is that transforming a segment of this historic property into a racecourse will lead to habitat fragmentation and irreversible ecological damage. The case has already drawn high-level attention; records show that former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy had previously urged the government to preserve the farm for its traditional, long-standing equine purposes rather than commercial relocation.

Unanswered Appeals

Adding to the legal friction is the government’s apparent inaction regarding the farm's biodiversity status. On May 11, 2026, the petitioner approached the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA), formally requesting that the site be declared a "biodiversity heritage site" under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. While the NBA forwarded the representation to the State Biodiversity Board shortly after, the petitioner asserts that no substantive action has been taken, leaving the land vulnerable to the current development plans.

Why it matters

This case highlights a recurring tension in urban policy: the trade-off between modern infrastructure requirements and the preservation of legacy ecosystems. By attempting to relocate a major urban feature like the BTC racecourse, the state government is navigating the pressure of prime real estate needs in Bengaluru against the growing legislative requirement for rigorous environmental compliance.

If the courts find that the government bypassed mandatory biodiversity assessments, it could set a significant precedent for how states handle land-use changes in ecologically sensitive zones. The outcome will likely determine whether historical, state-owned land is viewed primarily as a bank of available acreage for urban decongestion, or as an irreplaceable ecological asset that requires constitutional protection.