The proposed Belagavi–Dharwad new railway line, one of North Karnataka’s most-awaited rail infrastructure projects, is yet to witness the start of land acquisition, according to information shared by the Ministry of Railways in Parliament.
The 73-km railway line, estimated to cost ₹927 crore, requires 581 hectares of land, but not a single hectare has been acquired so far, the ministry said in response to a question raised by Hassan MP Shreyas Patel.
The ministry added that while the Union Government is ready to execute the project, its timely completion depends largely on the Karnataka government’s support in expediting land acquisition. The delay in making land available has emerged as a major hurdle in taking the project forward.
Belagavi Project Among Four Awaiting Land Acquisition
The Belagavi–Dharwad line is one of four railway projects in Karnataka where land acquisition has not yet begun. The other projects include:
- Shivamogga–Harihar (79 km): 488 hectares required, none acquired.
- Whitefield–Kolar (53 km): 337 hectares required, none acquired.
- Hassan–Belur (32 km): 206 hectares required, none acquired.
Among the five major new railway line projects reviewed, only the Shivamogga–Ranebennur line has made partial progress, with 283 hectares acquired out of the 559 hectares required.
17 Railway Projects Under Execution in Karnataka
The Ministry of Railways said 17 railway projects, either fully or partly located in Karnataka, are currently under various stages of implementation.
Major new line projects include:
- Dharwad–Belagavi (73 km) – ₹927 crore
- Munirabad–Mahabubnagar (247 km) – ₹3,978 crore
- Rayadurg–Tumakuru (207 km) – ₹4,565 crore
- Tumakuru–Davanagere (182 km) – ₹2,142 crore
- Gadag–Wadi (257 km) – ₹3,668 crore
- Bagalkot–Kudachi (142 km) – ₹1,694 crore
The state is also witnessing several railway capacity enhancement works, including:
- Hospet–Hubballi–Londa–Tinaighat–Vasco-da-Gama doubling
- Ballari–Chikjajur doubling
- Baiyyappanahalli–Hosur doubling
- Yeshwanthpur–Channasandra doubling
- Secunderabad–Wadi third and fourth lines
- Guntakal–Wadi third and fourth lines
- Ballari–Hosapete third and fourth lines
These projects aim to improve rail connectivity, increase line capacity, and reduce congestion across Karnataka.
Nearly 40% of Land Acquisition Still Pending
Across Karnataka, railway projects require 10,123 hectares of land, of which 6,134 hectares have been acquired so far. The remaining 3,989 hectares (around 39%) are still pending, highlighting the need for faster land acquisition to ensure timely completion of critical railway infrastructure projects.
Source: Ministry of Railways, Government of India (Reply in Parliament)
