The business community in Belagavi is frustrated over the stalled progress of infrastructure projects in the city, with the latest blow being Indigo Airlines’ suspension of its daily morning Belagavi-Bengaluru flight.
Members of the Federation of Associations of Belagavi (FOAB) feel the city has been sidelined in the implementation of central government projects.
Earlier, Air India had shifted its Belagavi-Bengaluru service to Hubballi, and now the sudden suspension of Indigo’s flight, despite good passenger load, has sparked widespread debate. Many citizens took to social media, expressing anger at what they called an unjust decision. In recent months, Belagavi has also lost air links to several cities, including Jodhpur, Surat, Indore, and Nashik. Reports suggest the Ahmedabad flight might be discontinued next.
Several key projects, such as the Belagavi-Dharwad railway line, the Belagavi Ring Road, and the Halaga-Macche Bypass, have remained stuck at the approval stage for years. FOAB coordinator Chaitanya Kulkarni, who also chairs the Affordable Housing Committee of CREDAI, questioned Indigo’s reasoning. “Why do technical maintenance issues arise only for Belagavi and not for Hubballi?” he asked. Kulkarni added that FOAB plans to hold a meeting soon with various stakeholders to address the situation.
There is also frustration over the Railway Ministry’s decision to extend the Pune-Belagavi Vande Bharat Express to Hubballi under pressure from Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, while requests to extend the Bengaluru-Dharwad Vande Bharat service to Belagavi have been ignored.
Social activist Raju Topannavar criticized the lack of accountability, saying Belagavi residents are suffering because they failed to hold their elected representatives accountable. “People voted for Jagadish Shettar with Modi in mind, but now they can’t even find Shettar, who has vacated his rented house in the city,” he said.
Topannavar also pointed out that vehicle owners are being overcharged at the Hattaragi and Ganebail toll plazas, despite poor road conditions, and lamented the absence of political or civic leaders willing to challenge these injustices
