The proposed jeans park at Sanjeevarayana Kote, on the outskirts of Ballari, is moving forward with tenders floated for its development. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had pledged during the Bharat Jodo Yatra in Ballari that a jeans park would be set up, with products carrying the ‘Made in Ballari’ tag. The commitment was later reaffirmed in the 2024 state budget and during the Lok Sabha campaign.
According to KIADB assistant executive engineer Govind Naik, land acquisition is complete and work orders have been issued. Around 154 acres have been secured at a cost of ₹40 lakh per acre. Currently, Ballari and Mundargi industrial areas host over 500 jeans units across stitching, washing, and sales. The new park aims to house more than 500 additional units, with entrepreneurs allotted plots to set up operations.
“The idea is to consolidate all activities in one hub while providing access to national and international markets and curbing unhealthy price competition,” Naik explained. He added that the new facility would include effluent treatment plants, eliminating the need for separate ones by individual units.
However, concerns remain among industry representatives. At a recent meeting, Jeans Washing Units Association leader Sirivelu Ibrahim highlighted persistent issues at the Mundargi industrial area and questioned the feasibility of operations in Sanjeevarayana Kote, which lies far from the city. Similarly, District Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Yashwantraj Nagireddy flagged corruption in Mundargi plot allocations, alleging that some officials demanded hefty bribes for registrations. “Who will ensure such practices don’t resurface in Sanjeevarayana Kote?” he asked.
Meanwhile, officials revealed plans to invite Rahul Gandhi to lay the foundation stone and expressed confidence that the project would be completed within 12–18 months.