The green cost: Close to 2 lakh trees to be felled for Bidadi AI Township

Official data reveals that the massive infrastructure project in Bengaluru’s periphery threatens to wipe out thousands of hectares of fertile farmland and a massive green cover.

The quiet fields of nine villages in Bidadi, which have long served as a vital green belt for the region, are facing an irreversible transformation. An official response to an RTI query, accessed as of February 2026, paints a grim picture for the local landscape: the development of the proposed Bidadi AI Township will necessitate the clearing of nearly two lakh trees. The sheer scale of the environmental impact is staggering, encompassing over 83,000 arecanut trees, 87,000 coconut palms, and over 12,000 mango trees, alongside a massive inventory of banana plants, chikoo trees, and rose plantations.

The project’s footprint extends far beyond simple tree felling. Vast tracts of land currently dedicated to essential crops—including ragi, paddy, pulses, and groundnut—are slated for acquisition. For farmers like Nagaraju M.R., whose 10-acre holding in Mandalahalli is already caught in the official gazette’s net, the government’s narrative of "unprofitable agriculture" rings hollow. Pointing to the diversity of their harvest, he argues that a region suffering from systemic losses wouldn't sustain such a thriving, multi-crop ecosystem.

A clash of narratives

The Greater Bengaluru Development Authority (GBDA) offers a starkly different rationale for the acquisition. A senior official claims that the proximity to the polluted Byramangala Lake has rendered local produce unmarketable, suggesting that the farmers' resistance is driven more by political motives than economic necessity. While the government has proposed a compensation package for the lost trees—with rates ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹40,000 for coconut and jackfruit, and up to ₹64,000 for mango trees—these figures offer little solace to those whose families have worked this soil for generations.

Why it matters

This dispute highlights a recurring friction point in India’s urban expansion: the struggle to balance the relentless demand for high-tech industrial corridors against the preservation of sustainable, traditional agrarian economies. The Bidadi project isn't just about land; it’s a test case for whether the state can justify the destruction of a proven, diverse agricultural belt for an untested township model. If the state prioritizes "AI-readiness" at the cost of its existing green lung, it risks creating a future that is modern in name but ecologically and socially bankrupt. The outcome here will likely set a precedent for how the state handles land acquisition in other fertile pockets surrounding the Bengaluru metropolis.