Karnataka Home Minister proposes to merge Tumakuru with Bengaluru district

The Karnataka government has initiated steps to merge Tumakuru district with Bengaluru city, as part of a broader plan to expand the metropolitan region. Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday confirmed that a proposal had been submitted to the government to convert Tumakuru into what he described as “Bengaluru North district”.

Speaking to reporters, Parameshwara explained that the rapid expansion of Bengaluru city had already extended beyond Nelamangala, bringing Tumakuru—just 30 kilometres away—well within its sphere of influence. He argued that the change in nomenclature would offer better clarity, particularly for outsiders, and boost the city’s growth prospects.

“In such a situation, there is a difference between Tumkur district and ‘Bengaluru North district’. For those in New York, ‘Bengaluru North’ is easy to understand. Tumakuru district is somewhere like this. That is why such an effort has been made,” Parameshwara said.

He added that the government had prepared a proposal to include 14 gram panchayats under the jurisdiction of the municipal corporation and said that Tumakuru city’s administrative reach would be expanded in the near future.
This move builds on earlier plans revealed by Parameshwara in October 2024, when he stated that he would push for Tumakuru to be declared ‘Greater Bengaluru’ in light of the district’s industrial growth and the proposal for a second international airport catering to the state capital. “In the coming days, we want Tumakuru to become an extension of Bengaluru, like Greater Bengaluru. We can call it Greater Bengaluru. I’ll propose this,” he had said.

At the time, Parameshwara noted that Dobbaspet, near Tumakuru, was under consideration as the location for the new airport, which is expected to match the scale of the Kempegowda International Airport and be operational by 2035. The proposed airport would handle 100 million passengers annually and require 4,500 to 5,000 acres of land.

Parameshwara also praised Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for implementing a similar plan in Ramanagara. “Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar made a good plan and made Ramanagara district the Bengaluru South district. The government has approved this plan and issued an order. As soon as it is called Bengaluru South, its nature changes. Similarly, they will think about how to make Tumakuru district,” he said.

In a related development, Parameshwara announced that he had approached Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for permission to construct a ‘Welcome’ arch on the National Highway in Tumakuru. The project, which has received Rs 5 crore in funding from the Smart City initiative, aims to enhance the city’s visual appeal and sense of identity.

The Minister also highlighted the rapid industrial development in Tumakuru, including Asia’s largest industrial hub, a Japanese township, and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s helicopter unit. He said that a metro rail proposal had also been submitted. “When all this happens, Tumakuru will automatically become an extension of Bengaluru,” Parameshwara had remarked.