After years of uncertainty, the State Government has reiterated approval for the Kidwai Cancer Memorial Institute cancer hospital for Belagavi, first sanctioned in 2022 to serve cancer patients from North Karnataka. An allocation of ₹50 crore has been approved for the project.
The hospital will now come up within the premises of the District Hospital, Belagavi, a decision officially confirmed by the district administration. Hospital sources said site mapping will be taken up shortly.
Initially, the cancer hospital was proposed at the Taluka Health Department premises in Vadgaon. Later, a plan was drawn up to locate both the district hospital and the cancer hospital on the same campus. Space was also explored within the Belagavi Institute of Medical Sciences (BIMS) premises, but the proposal stalled due to non-availability of sufficient land, resulting in prolonged delays.
Confirming the latest development, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan said a suitable location has now been identified within the district hospital campus and that BIMS will finalise the plan and initiate work soon.
The issue had repeatedly come under scrutiny, including during the Winter Session of the Karnataka Legislature in 2024, where concerns were raised over the lack of a cancer hospital in a large and medically burdened district like Belagavi. The matter was again reviewed in 2025 at a district development meeting held at Suvarna Soudha, chaired by Guardian Minister Satish Jarkiholi, where it was decided to go ahead with construction at the district hospital site. The district administration formally consented to provide the required land.
While the latest announcement brings clarity on location, the key test now is execution. Belagavi has waited since 2022 for this critical healthcare facility. With approvals, funds, and land finally aligned, any further delay will be difficult to justify. Patients need a hospital—not another round of assurances.