On 20 December, the Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Limited (BSWML) under the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) demolished over 300 alleged illegal homes Waseem Layout and Fakir Colony in Kogilu, largely inhabited by the Muslim community, in a bid to set up a proposed Rs 100-crore solid waste management infrastructure.

The GBA demolished over 120 unauthorised buildings and 80 to 90 sheds erected illegally on the five-acre portion, and leaving 188 families suddenly homeless. Officials contend the structures were built on government land without sanction, with some plots allegedly sold illegally by intermediaries.

The BSWML plans a 50-tonne bio-methanisation plant, 4-tonne animal-waste rendering unit, 15-tonne sanitary-waste incinerator, and a coconut-waste shredder on this 14-acre site in Kogilu village (Survey No. 99), of which BSWML currently controls 9 acres. The land, originally part of 57 acres and five guntas of government gomala, was handed to BBMP in November 2014 for a solid waste facility, having previously served as an abandoned quarry and debris dumping site.

The demolition sparked large-scale protests, with affected residents and leaders of organations like the Bhima Sena attempting to lay siege to Revenue Minister Krishna Byregowda’s Kodigehalli residence. Police blocked them with barricades, forcing demonstrators to sit on the road. Many, left with few possessions, described the eviction as abrupt and claimed they had lived there for years. Residents alleged that government officials would come to their area to seek votes ahead of elections. Additionally, they also alleged that they did not receive any written notice prior to the eviction.

Amid criticism, on 29 December 2025, the Karnataka government promised rehabilitation of displaced families on humanitarian grounds under the housing scheme of Rajiv Gandhi Housing Corporation Limited. However, the process has been mired in controversy over eligibility criteria, revised costs of flats, and verification delays. So far, only a fraction of displaced Kogilu Layout residents have been confirmed for compensatory housing, as stricter income and residency criteria have narrowed the list. Karnataka’s Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh clarified that only 90 families are eligible, not the 400 previously claimed. Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against four persons for selling the government land for unauthorised construction in Bengaluru.

Over the last few months, displaced families have been living in makeshift tents in the area, with limited access to essential resources including washroom, shelter and consistent supply of food and water. Evictees, under the banner of the Kogilu Layout Slum Residents’ Struggle Committee, demanded that 188 families be regularised under Section 94(C) of the Karnataka Land Revenue Act, receiving land rights and housing.

The case had also reached Karnataka High Court, with petitioners alleging that government officials razed their houses in defiance of a Supreme Court order that mandates show-cause notices and at least 15 days’ time to vacate houses before any eviction on grounds of encroachment. The case is still being discussed in the High Court. On 29 January 2026, a Division Bench led by Chief Justice Vibhu Bakhru, along with Justice C M Poonacha, took up a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by residents of Kogilu, Jaiba Tabassum, Rehana, and Arif Begum, challenging the eviction exercise as unlawful and violative of constitutional rights. The High Court said the government should have conducted a survey and followed due process before the eviction, even if the houses were illegal. The State told the High Court that rehabilitation facilities were provided, but most evicted residents refused to move and continued occupying government land. It also said satellite images show the settlements are recent and not 28 years old as claimed.

On 5 February, the court said that it prima facie accepts that in-situ rehabilitation of evicted families may not be feasible, considering the submission by the state government that inhabiting a solid waste management site is highly injurious and fatal to the health of the persons on the site. Meanwhile, the GBA Chief Commissioner assured Kogilu residents of financial assistance and rehabilitation after the submission of an inspection report.

During the hearing, the counsel for the petitioners claimed that the four temporary rehabilitation centres provided by the state government were found to be locked when the displaced residents had visited them. Responding, the court directed the State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) to submit a report on the temporary rehabilitation measures provided by the state government.

On 3 March 2026, the Karnataka High Court asked the Amicus Curiae to file a detailed report about the rehabilitation status of the families affected by the demolition drive undertaken for constructing a Waste Management Plant in December 2025.