Government plans balanced urban growth beyond Bengaluru, as demography shifts

Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar releasing the report for the Karnataka State Regional Urbanisation Plan, 2047, at the Banquet Hall of Vidhana Soudha, in Bengaluru on Friday. | Photo Credit: ANI Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Friday outlined a seven-point development agenda to drive regional urbanisation in Karnataka as he unveiled the Karnataka State Regional Urbanisation Plan, 2047.The agenda focuses on expanding industries and employment opportunities across districts, improving infrastructure, strengthening public transport, protecting the environment, developing human resources, ensuring inclusive economic growth and digitising governance.Seven nodes of growthMr. Shivakumar said the State needed to look beyond Bengaluru and ensure that economic growth in cities translated into better livelihoods in towns and villages. The plan identifies Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi-Dharwad, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, Ballari and Shivamogga as seven anchor nodes of growth, with a specific growth plan for each region.The Chief Minister said the proportion of Karnataka’s population living in urban areas was expected to increase from the present 46% to 70% by 2047. The State’s population, currently around 6.9 crore, was projected to reach 7.7 crore to 7.8 crore by then, he said. The urbanisation plan was aimed at preparing cities for the demographic shift and preventing mounting pressure on infrastructure, according to Mr. Shivakumar.“People move from villages to cities mainly for education and employment. We need to create an environment where people can find jobs in their own towns, taluks and districts instead of everyone having to come to Bengaluru,” the Chief Minister added.Bengaluru’s boomHe said Bengaluru’s population had increased from around 70 lakh when he was the Urban Development Minister to nearly 1.4 crore now. Meanwhile, the number of vehicles had also reached around 1.35 crore. However, infrastructure had not expanded at the same pace, he stressed.He said the government was considering ring roads for cities and towns to ease traffic congestion and facilitate smoother commutes. The government would also prioritise industrial development based on the strengths of different regions. This includes steel industries in Ballari, electric vehicle manufacturing in Hubballi-Dharwad and data centres in Mangaluru. Published - October 30, 2026 08:23 pm IST