Highlighting the rapid expansion of Belagavi—often referred to as the Gateway for North Karnataka and Karnataka’s proposed second capital—activists from the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) submitted a memorandum to Minister for Urban Development, Yatindra Siddaramaiah, calling for urgent government intervention to upgrade the city’s civic infrastructure and municipal status.
Proposal for ‘Greater Belagavi’ Corporation
With its population crossing 1.5 million, Belagavi is fast striding toward becoming a full-fledged metropolitan city. To keep pace with this exponential growth, KRV activists demanded that the Urban Development Department immediately elevate the Belagavi City Corporation (BCC) to Greater Belagavi City Corporation (Bruhat Belagavi Mahanagara Palike) (ಬೃಹತ್ ಬೆಳಗಾವಿ ಮಹಾನಗರ ಪಾಲಿಕೆ).
They urged the state government to expedite a pending proposal to merge nearly 40 surrounding villages into the municipal limits. Activists noted that these peripheral villages currently lack basic development. Integrating them into the city limits would ensure planned infrastructure, faster growth, and prompt resolution of civic grievances for both urban and rural residents.
Addressing Severe Water Scarcity
The memorandum heavily focused on the city’s drinking water crisis. Although Belagavi relies on the Rakaskoppa and Hidkal reservoirs, the current supply infrastructure is woefully inadequate for a population that has effectively doubled.
Residents currently receive municipal water only once a week—and in some localities, once every fortnight—causing severe distress. To address this:
- Activists demanded immediate funds to lay a second dedicated pipeline from the Hidkal reservoir.
- They called for the setting up of two new water treatment plants to scale up daily supply.
Delays in 24×7 Water Supply Scheme
The activists also expressed strong dissatisfaction with the prolonged execution of the ongoing 24×7 continuous drinking water supply project in the city.
Noting that the project has dragged on well past its original deadlines, KRV urged the Urban Development Ministry to crack down on delays and ensure the work is completed as quickly as possible.
