All local body elections to be held this year: Dy.CM Shivakumar

Bengaluru

Deputy Chief Minister (Dy.CM) and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that elections to all local bodies in Karnataka, including the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and municipal corporations, will be conducted within the current year.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the second loop of the Hebbal flyover and later near his Sadashivanagar residence, Shivakumar said the government was committed to strengthening grassroots democracy by completing the long-pending local body polls.

Reflecting on the New Year, the Deputy CM said 2026 had begun on an auspicious note and asserted that the government had delivered good governance in 2025. “Through the global investors’ meet and technology summits, we have taken Karnataka forward. We have kept our promises,” he said.

Shivakumar highlighted what he described as historic decisions taken in the irrigation sector, including those related to the Upper Krishna Project, the Tungabhadra project, and the Mekedatu project, which have received judicial backing. “The trust people have placed in us has boosted our confidence, and our government is working to uphold that trust,” he said.

He also said that in his 35 years of political life, Bengaluru had never witnessed events of such scale. “Even the Prime Minister praised the city during his visit. Though the Centre has not extended adequate funding, we are determined to give Bengaluru a new shape,” he added.

Commending the Home Department, Shivakumar said Bengaluru safely bid farewell to 2025 and welcomed 2026 without any untoward incidents. He congratulated Home Minister G Parameshwara and the entire department for ensuring effective security arrangements.

Hebbal flyover second loop opened

The Deputy CM said the second loop of the Hebbal flyover was inaugurated to ensure smoother traffic movement for commuters travelling to Kempegowda International Airport and residents of north Bengaluru. “People had repeatedly complained about traffic congestion at Hebbal. We acted swiftly and found a solution to ease the bottleneck,” he said.

Referring to the Bengaluru Development Authority (BDA), which has completed 50 years, Shivakumar said several landmark projects were being taken up. He said land acquisition was underway for the 120-km Bengaluru Business Corridor, with farmers being compensated through 35% developed commercial land along with better rehabilitation packages, including small townships.

He further outlined future infrastructure plans, including a 1.5-km tunnel road, a flyover at Mekhri Circle to be built in three phases, and a plan to connect Tumakuru Road to KR Puram through elevated corridors as part of the Outer Ring Road network.

‘We know how to teach NICE a lesson’

On the proposed skydeck project, Shivakumar said the government had initially decided to acquire certain KIADB land held by NICE, but the company raised objections. “NICE seems to think it is bigger than the government. We will find another way. We know how to teach them a lesson,” he said.

He clarified that an alternative BDA-owned site had been identified for the skydeck project, adding that aviation-related height restrictions near flight paths would be taken into account and the structure would be built at a suitable location.