Govt tribal park project for Banjaras in limbo for a decade

Hans India

5 days ago

Bidar: A flagship initiative of the Congress government aimed at preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Banjara (Lambani) community — the Tribal Park in Borampalli, Humnabad taluk of Bidar district lies in a state of neglect, even a decade after it was first sanctioned. Locals and community leaders have now accused the government of failing to deliver on its commitment, despite allocating Rs 200 crore for the ambitious project.
Launched with the intent to showcase Banjara attire, crafts, folk dances, music, and lifestyle, the park was expected to become a hub for cultural preservation and economic empowerment. However, delays bureaucratic apathy, and lack of political will have rendered the project a non-starter, triggering widespread anger among the Lambani community.
The project was first sanctioned during the **Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in 2015-16, with a vision to complete construction within a year. A 34.06-acre plot was earmarked in Borampalli village, and initial infrastructure like compound walls and internal roads were constructed by the Karnataka Tanda Development Corporation.
The government even approved Rs 200 crore in the Cabinet and released the first tranche of Rs 50 crore. Yet, ten years later, critical components like the hostel, training centers, and cultural exhibition halls remain incomplete. Contracts handed over to various departments, including land development arms, have failed to expedite the work, leaving behind only skeletal structures and broken promises.
The proposed Tribal Park was intended to include a Banjara costume production unit with modern technology for cultural preservation and job creation, a Kasuti embroidery training centre for artisans to learn, produce, and sell traditional work.
A folk arts school to teach traditional music and dance ,Semi-residential schools for children of migrant workers ,a rehabilitation centre for alcohol addiction and a cement and brick manufacturing unit for local employment generation
The park was also envisioned as a space to promote Banjara handicrafts, generate tourism, and build a self-sustaining economic model for the community. However, none of these objectives have been achieved, as work remains stalled at the foundation level in most places.
Former Minister Rajashekhar Patil has now urged local MLAs and Congress leadership to intervene, alleging that the lack of interest from officers and elected representatives** is turning the government's own pet project into a symbol of failure.
'Despite Rs 50 crore being released, the departments have not shown the will to complete this work. The government's apathy is killing its own ambitious project meant for a vulnerable and culturally rich community,' Patil said. Local citizens and activists have echoed the demand, asking the state to wake up and finish what it started. They warned that the Lambani community's cultural legacy is at risk of disappearing**, especially in the face of increasing modernization.
The Tribal Park was conceived not just as a tourist attraction but as a living museum of the Banjara way of life — an effort to revive vanishing traditions, offer employment to tribal artisans, and introduce their craft to a global audience.
But with a decade lost to red tape and inaction, what remains is a stark reminder of how grand ideas can rot without political will. Community leaders say the Banjara identity, already marginalized, is being pushed further into oblivion.
Citizens have now demanded that the Congress government re-evaluate its priorities, hold officials accountable, and immediately resume construction to restore faith and dignity to the community that once celebrated the announcement of this dream project.
If the government truly believes in inclusion and cultural preservation, let it prove it — not in words, but in action,' said a local activist from Humnabad. The Tribal Park lies unfinished — not because of lack of funds, but because of a lack of intent. For a government that promised empowerment and equity, the silence on this issue speaks louder than
any speech.