Bengaluru, 22 October

Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday wrote to Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, expressing concern over the nearly 10-month delay in allocating land for two proposed automotive testing facilities in Mandya district and urging him to intervene to expedite the projects.

The proposed facilities—an Electric Vehicle (EV) Testing Centre and a Construction and Infrastructure Equipment (CIE) Testing Centre—are being planned by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), an automotive research and development institution under the Union Ministry of Heavy Industries.

The Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Mandya MP also released correspondences, contending that the records show that despite meetings between State and Union authorities, as well as site inspections to identify land, there had been little progress.  

An ARAI team visited locations at Basaralu, the Mandya Sugar Factory and the KR Pet industrial area on 16 March, followed by discussions with the Mandya Deputy Commissioner on land availability, he stated. Kumaraswamy also referred to his meeting with Karnataka Industries Minister MB Patil on 13 April to discuss the scope of the projects and their land requirements.

The district administration shared details of sites at Basaralu and Heggedahalli for technical evaluation, which Kumaraswamy said had been done. 

As outlined in Kumaraswamy's letter, around 100 acres at Basaralu was considered potentially suitable for the CIE Testing Centre, subject to improvements in road connectivity. Another 60 acres required for the EV Testing Centre.

Yelechakanahalli was considered as an alternative location where both facilities can be established together, with space for a long testing track and an adjoining industrial hub. However, the site posed challenges of private land acquisition and improved connectivity required to the Mysuru-Bengaluru Highway, including a railway overbridge.

After a meeting with officials, Basaralu was proposed, with 100 acres for the CIE facility and 60 acres for the EV centre. 

Kumaraswamy cited paragraph 350 of Karnataka's 2026-27 Budget speech announcing that land will be provided in Mandya for a CIE Testing Centre.