Farmers Renew Opposition To Land Acquisition For Belagavi–Dharwad Rail Line

Farmers from several villages likely to be affected by the proposed Belagavi–Dharwad railway line project strongly opposed the acquisition of fertile agricultural land during a meeting convened by the district administration and railway officials in Belagavi on Friday. The meeting, held at Kumar Gandharva Rang Mandir, was attended by farmers from Iddalahond, Nagenahalli, KK Koppa, Garlgunji, Nandihalli and Halagimardi villages. Residents voiced concerns over the loss of productive farmland and urged authorities to reconsider the proposed alignment. The government has been attempting for the past eight years to acquire around 1,436 acres for the 73-km-long railway line connecting Belagavi and Dharwad. However, the process remains incomplete due to persistent opposition from landowners. Nearly 90 per cent of the required land falls in Belagavi district, with the remaining 10 per cent in Dharwad district. Farmers alleged that the route was finalised without adequate consultation with local communities and said the acquisition would severely affect agricultural livelihoods. They demanded that the government identify barren or non-cultivable land for the project instead of acquiring fertile fields. Strong criticism was directed at the government's plan to take over highly productive farmland. Farmers pointed out that the affected villages are among the region's major sugarcane-producing belts and argued that the economic impact on agriculture would be significant. Farmers said the villages facing acquisition collectively produce nearly one lakh tonnes of sugarcane annually. "These are highly fertile lands that support thousands of farming families. The alignment should be changed to protect agricultural interests," he said. Officials who attended the meeting included Special Deputy Commissioner Raghunandan, Railway Department Additional Chief Executive Engineer Shivakumar, Special Land Acquisition Officer Manjunath Dombar, the Sub-Registrar and Forest Department representatives. Three months ago, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Roshan had stated that the land acquisition process was largely complete and that only compensation payments remained. However, continued resistance from farmers has slowed progress. Friday's meeting underscored the fact that a large section of landowners remains opposed to the project in its present form. They further noted that substantial investments have already been made in double-tracking the Miraj–Londa railway route and urged the government to avoid unnecessary expenditure. Officials assured the gathering that the concerns raised by farmers would be conveyed to higher authorities and that efforts would be made to find an acceptable solution.