Lahar Singh Siroya demands setting up craft village along Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway

Lahar Siroya proposed that the government should mandate the identification and development of permanent, high-visibility sites on suitable government land adjacent to new expressways.

BJP Rajya Sabha member Lahar Singh Siroya on Wednesday urged the Central Government to introduce the 'Crafts Village' (Shilpa Gram) concept along new expressway corridors, beginning with the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway.

Raising the matter in the Rajya Sabha, Siroya called upon the Union Ministers for Road Transport and Highways and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to immediately implement the initiative.

He proposed that the government should mandate the identification and development of permanent, high-visibility sites on suitable government land adjacent to new expressways. These sites would serve as dedicated marketplaces for local artisans and MSMEs to showcase and sell their products, he said.

Siroya further suggested establishing a dedicated Central mechanism to provide financial assistance and infrastructure support, transforming these crafts villages into state-of-the-art hubs. Such measures, he argued, would safeguard the livelihoods of traditional craftspeople while advancing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Vocal for Local’ vision.

Highlighting the adverse impact of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway—a flagship project of the Central Government, Siroya noted that the bypass of several towns has triggered an existential crisis for thousands of artisans and small business owners.

Iconic, globally recognised traditions, including the GI-tagged Channapatna wooden toys and regional culinary heritage, have suffered business declines of up to 70-80 per cent.

He specifically advocated for the establishment of a crafts village near Channapatna to preserve and promote the world-famous GI-tagged wooden toys.

“The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway has disturbed their heritage and trade ecosystem for a while now,” Siroya said.