BENGALURU, January 28, 2026 — The Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) has officially rejected widely shared online claims suggesting that newly developed residential plots in a major layout were carved out of an old graveyard. The clarification comes amid growing public concern and viral posts, particularly on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), which sparked broader discussion about land use and heritage sensitivity in Bengaluru’s expanding urban landscape.

Viral Images Spark Online Outrage

In recent days, images circulated online depicting what appeared to be burial grounds overlaid with BDA site number boards in the Shivaram Karanth Layout area in northern Bengaluru. Several users reposted the visuals with captions claiming that the authority had developed residential plots on top of a graveyard — feeding anxieties about land ethics and cultural respect in urban planning.

BDA’s Official Response: “Not True”

Responding to the uproar, BDA Commissioner Manivannan firmly refuted the allegations. He stated that:

• The BDA has not developed sites on any graveyard, and doing so would be unlawful under existing land acquisition norms.
• Officially designated graveyards cannot be acquired or developed by any government agency, a position maintained by the Supreme Court in past rulings.
• Some of the images may not reflect real conditions — with BDA officials even suggesting the possibility that the visuals could be AI-generated or misrepresented.

Possible Explanation for Misleading Photos

According to the BDA statement, what was shown in the viral content might have been:

• An isolated burial site used by a previous landowner, rather than an officially designated cemetery.
• Land that was later legitimately developed after appropriate clearances — despite looking like a burial ground in certain snapshots taken months earlier.

Context: BDA’s Larger Site Allotment Plans

The graveyard claim surfaced at a sensitive moment for the BDA. The authority is preparing its first major allotment of residential sites since 2016, with over 5,000 plots slated for distribution in early 2026. Thousands more remain tied up in court disputes, and the agency has faced criticism over delays, legal challenges, and development transparency in recent years.

Public Sensitivity and Misinformation Risks

Experts note that land use issues — particularly those touching on cultural and religious sites like burial grounds — tend to attract heightened public sensitivity. In the age of rapid social media amplification, unverified claims can spread quickly, complicating official responses and public trust. Authorities like the BDA are increasingly emphasizing the need to check official records and site maps before drawing conclusions from circulating images.

  bda, Graveyard Controversy