The land acquisition for the Belgaum–Dharwad direct rail line project—covering 600 acres—has been completed, and the Railway Department is expected to invite tenders within a month, announced District Collector Mohammad Roshan.
This long-pending project, which had stalled for nearly five years, is finally moving forward with land acquisition in Belgaum district now finalized. The proposed direct railway line is a key central government initiative, originally approved in 2020 during the tenure of Suresh Angadi as Union Minister of State for Railways. The Centre had earmarked ₹900 crore for the project, but delays in acquiring land had stalled progress.
At present, trains between Belgaum and Dharwad operate via Londa. The new line will allow trains to run via Kittur, significantly reducing travel time from three hours to just one and a half. The completion of this route is expected to boost regional development, connecting Belgaum, Dharwad, and Hubballi more effectively as a tri-city cluster.
DC Roshan noted that land acquisition had been expedited over the past five months. The entire process involves two phases—600 acres acquired in the first phase, and another 600 acres planned for the second, totaling 1,200 acres. This new line will also allow direct travel from Belgaum to Bengaluru via Dharwad, bypassing Londa.
He also mentioned that the arrival of the Vande Bharat train is imminent. The final notification for the project has been issued, and the government has already approved the acquisition of 700 acres. A proposal for the remaining land has been submitted and is expected to be cleared within the next month.
The 75 km stretch connecting Belgaum and Dharwad—via Desura, M.K. Hubballi, Kittur, and Tegur—is anticipated to be completed within two years.
