Historically, Devanahalli's fame rests on its being the birthplace of the Tiger of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. In the literary field, it is remembered as the place where well-known litterateur Nisar Ahmed studied for a few years.

On the more brawny side, it was known for its pehelwans. Now, the town is famous for, perhaps, a less 'wrong' reason: it has the highest guidance value of Rs 1.2 crore per acre of land.

The people in the town and neighbouring places are literally busy, busy counting notes and building/ buying new architect-designed houses. The landscape has changed beyond recognition, even imagination. All because of the Bangalore International Airport that's coming up east of Bangalore-Hyderabad National Highway.

Devanahalli town is just 36 km on the Bangalore-Hyderabad National Highway and the taluk is in Bangalore rural district, abutting its Bangalore Urban counterpart. Developments in the taluk have been taking place at a maddening pace. After a roller-coaster ride in the late 1990s, the land value is again skyrocketing.

“It is worse than gambling. Rich people, mostly politicians and people from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh, have been pumping in money to buy land. We don't know where it will all end. The locals just can't afford to buy land here,” observes 40-year-old Ramanna, who was born in the town. 

People, mostly farmers, are just selling their lands and making a fortune. For, returns from farming are not as attractive as those selling off the land fetches you.

There are also hundreds who have burnt their fingers, buying land here. Rumours of a new airport saw the land prices moving north. With the project remaining on paper for over eight years and contradictory statements coming from the governments and the agencies concerned, land prices went into a tailspin.

There was a crash in prices - almost 20 times - as there were doubts about the project. Many prospective buyers just disappeared after paying hefty advances to the landowners.

Meanwhile, the agreements lapsed, leaving the land owners richer. Again the prices soared once the project looked a certainty. In the last two years, prices of land have been steadily rising and more people have been investing on land.

The project might have brought wealth to the region, but it has affected agricultural production, which will eventually affect the city of Bangalore, which has been getting quality vegetables and other horticultural products from Devanahalli taluk.    

Water level

Another serious concern expressed by a cross section of the society in Devanahalli is the depleting water table and quality of available water. “Now, we get only hard water in many places and the borewells have gone as deep as 1000 ft. If a scheme is not chalked out to meet the drinking water needs, the taluk will face serious problems,” contractor K Krishne Gowda said.

“More than 100 layouts have been formed in the last few years and sites were sold like hot cakes,” a real estate agency manager said. Expecting a heavy influx of people, buildings were being built. “Initially, we thought there will not be any demand for houses. But, we were proved wrong as people started buying them even before they were completed. A two-storey building with a built-in area of about 18 squares is being sold at Rs 45 lakh,”  added Krishne Gowda. 

His statements are buttressed by the statistics available at the sub-registrar’s office, located in a ramshackled building. “Our revenue has multiplied in the last four years, a clear indication of transactions taking place. You would have seen scores of people standing in the queue to register property,” said an official.

Where have the local people been investing money? Many have been buying vehicles and investing money on acquiring posh houses. Some farmers have bought lands in other places and continuing with agriculture. But their numbers are too small.

"We hardly see bicycles and bullock carts on the roads. We have more bikes and cars on the roads,” a trader joked. The town which did not have an authorised showroom of vehicles now boasts of at least four of them.
Has the infrastructure improved with the investment? No. Roads are still in a terrible condition. So-called metalled roads resemble dirt tracks in motor racing. Even banks have jumped into the race as many public and private sector banks are opening branches in the town.

Agriculture

Devanahalli was a strong belt for horticultural crops and agriculture, mainly ragi. The cultivated agricultural land has dropped with the airport acquiring over 4000 hectares of land and hundreds of farmers selling their property for a fortune. Rains have also been playing truant. Besides, the depletingwater  table has made farming non-profitable.

According to Agriculture Department official M A K Ansari, farming is no longer attractive. It is very difficult to get workers as most of them go to work at the airport site which earns them up to Rs 200 per day and other benefits like the Provident Fund. The end result is drop in production. Ragi cultivation has dropped by over 50 per cent.

Horticultural crops appear to be the worst hit. Coconut and guava plantations are making way for layouts and buildings. Flower cultivation has dipped as they are labour-intensive and workers are not available. In effect, kanakambara, mallige and kakada are slowly disappearing from the fields.

If the present state continues, Bangalore will feel the heat as vegetables might stop coming from this belt. “Though many farmers have relocated and started growing vegetables, it may not go on for long, considering the pace at which development is taking place,” said Mr Ansari.

Threat

Ask the locals what these developments mean to them and they appear confused. Though many of them say the development is welcome, some fear the risks that come with it. “We have been safe till now. In future, we will be vulnerable to terrorist attacks,” says A C Guruswamy, BJP Bangalore Rural District General Secretary.

Beke, beke, chakota?

Chakotas of Devanahalli have a distinct taste. They may soon become history as graft culturing from a couple of original trees have not yielded results. Original genome is lost due to cross-pollination and other factors. Only two or three trees have the real taste and their genome is pure. “You may find chakotas in future too, but they may not have the same taste,” says Lalitha, an official with the Horticulture Department.

Till a few years ago, it was a common sight to see heaps of chakotas on the Bangalore-Hyderabad Highway. Even now, some people do sell, but the numbers have dropped drastically. Guava fruit cultivation has also dropped considerably as lands are being lost to the Bangalore International Airport Limited.