At a press conference on Friday, District Minister Satish Jarkiholi provided updates on various development initiatives in the city.
When reporters inquired about the 4.5 km flyover project from Gandhi Nagar to Rani Chennamma Circle, Jarkiholi cited a Kannada saying, “Devaru Vara Kottaru Poojari Kodalilla,” to emphasize that while the central government has approved the project, local BJP leaders are deliberately delaying its launch.
In response to concerns about the third gate Road Over Bridge, which has faced criticism for its inability to accommodate heavy vehicles and alleviate traffic congestion, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan announced that a new design has been finalized to permit lighter vehicles to use the bridge. Heavy vehicles, however, will be redirected to the bypass road, with construction set to begin next week.
Regarding the ESI and KIDWAI hospitals, Jarkiholi acknowledged the challenges surrounding land acquisition. He stated that the ESI facility will be built on its current site, while efforts are ongoing to acquire at least 20 acres of land on the city’s outskirts for the KIDWAI project, similar to the setup in Dharwad.
Additionally, he addressed the demand for Belagavi Rural Constituency to gain separate taluka status, emphasizing the need for separation due to the constituency’s significant size within Belagavi taluk.
