Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has promised an immediate government order for a Freedom Park at Kittur and said Rs 40 crore would be allocated for the project in the state’s next Budget, placing a major heritage and public-infrastructure proposal at the centre of the region’s development plans.
Shivakumar made the announcement at the valedictory ceremony of Chennammana Kittur Utsav-2026 on Sunday. The proposed Chennamma Freedom Park is intended to showcase Kittur’s historical significance and the resistance led by Kittur Rani Chennamma against British rule.
The project was sought by Kittur MLA Babasaheb Patil, who estimated its cost at Rs 40 crore. According to the Chief Minister, the park would include visual presentations depicting the history of Kittur and the struggle associated with Rani Chennamma. The government order is expected to provide the immediate administrative basis for taking the proposal forward, while the funding commitment is linked to the next Budget.
The announcement also included a proposed renaming of the North Western Karnataka Road Transport Corporation. Shivakumar said the corporation would be renamed the Kittur Rani Chennamma Road Transport Corporation in the coming days. The change would give the historical figure a formal association with the state-run regional transport network serving North Karnataka.
The Chief Minister additionally promised necessary funds for the Rs 520 crore Channavrushabhendra Irrigation Project, which he said would benefit the Kittur region. Irrigation investment is being presented alongside the heritage project as part of a wider development programme for the area, linking cultural infrastructure with regional water and public-works commitments.
Shivakumar said development projects worth around Rs 1,000 crore had been taken up in Kittur. These included a 100-bed hospital and Public Works Department projects costing Rs 300 crore. The announcements place the proposed park within a broader package of public spending covering healthcare, irrigation and government construction works rather than treating it as a standalone memorial project.
The proposed Freedom Park will also raise implementation questions for the state government, including the process for issuing the order, finalising the project design and releasing funds through the Budget. The available announcement does not specify the site layout, construction agency, tender schedule, completion timeline or operating plan for the park.
Paying tribute to Rani Chennamma, Shivakumar said her courage and sacrifice continued to inspire successive generations. The next formal milestone cited by the government is the issuance of the government order, followed by the proposed allocation in Karnataka’s next Budget.
