Bengaluru: In a crackdown on land encroachment, the state has reclaimed over 3 lakh acres of encroached govt land — nearly 50% of the total 6.6 lakh acres identified as encroached land across the state. Officials are now intensifying efforts to recover the remaining land, focusing on high-value encroachments in urban and semi-urban areas.
Revenue department data shows Bengaluru Urban district alone accounts for 34,220 acres of encroached land. The govt has so far reclaimed 14,715 acres, but thousands of acres remain under illegal occupation. In a concerted push, revenue minister Krishna Byre Gowda recently instructed district administrations to accelerate land recovery and authorities are preparing to take legal action against repeat offenders.
To strengthen efforts, the govt has introduced a mobile application called ‘Beat’ to detect encroachments using geofencing technology. The app digitally maps govt properties using GPS coordinates, survey numbers, and boundaries, allowing officials to conduct inspections and report encroachments instantly. Additionally, land data from Bhoomi and Kaveri portals is being leveraged to prevent illegal transactions. “We are also erecting fences for reclaimed properties to avoid further encroachments,” said an official.
Of the districts, Haveri tops the list with 77,849 acres of encroached land, followed by Mandya (67,000 acres) and Ballari (53,000 acres). Koppal has the least encroachments at 238 acres. From Dec 2013 to Jan 2025, officials have reclaimed around 2 lakh acres, in addition to 1 lakh acres recovered before 2013.
P Vasanthakumar, managing director, Karnataka Public Lands Corporation Ltd (KPLCL) said revenue and police departments are actively investigating encroachments and clearing illegal occupations.
Despite the govt’s claims, activists remain sceptical about the actual extent of encroachment. Deepak CN, an activist fighting for land recovery, said govt reports underestimate the crisis. “The V Balasubramanian Committee, appointed by the govt, reported 11 lakh acres of encroached land in 2010, including 2 lakh acres of forest land. Later, a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court acknowledged encroachment of 13 lakh acres,” Deepak said.
Blaming poor land records and corruption for widespread encroachment, he urged the govt to act aggressively. “The govt should more efficiently reclaim the encroached lands,” he said.