The proposed Road Over Bridge (RoB) at the Second Railway Gate in Tilakwadi has run into rough weather, with local residents strongly opposing the project. In response, the South Western Railway has initiated formal communication with the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Belagavi, requesting a public meeting to address the concerns raised by citizens and ensure clarity on technical and administrative aspects of the sanctioned plan.
The RoB project was approved by the Railway Administration in 2018, with the Belagavi City Corporation also signing off on the plan. The contract, valued at ₹32.43 crore, was officially sanctioned up to February 21, 2025. However, during preliminary soil testing for the structure’s base design, residents protested and demanded that the existing level crossing be maintained.
Citing potential disruptions and hazards, residents have submitted multiple representations to MLA Abhay Patil, Deputy Mayor Vani Joshi, and the Minister of State for Railways. They argue that constructing a large-scale RoB in a compact residential locality like Tilakwadi is “unscientific” and poses risks of dividing the area and cutting off access to essential services. The locality is home to more than seven schools and ten kindergartens, and parents fear that students will face difficulties navigating narrow alternative RoBs.
A key point raised by citizens is that another RoB already exists within a two-kilometre radius, making the new one unnecessary and likely to increase traffic congestion rather than reduce it.
To address the escalating concerns, a meeting was previously held on May 6 under the chairmanship of the Belagavi DC, attended by MPs and railway officials. A subsequent site visit by MLAs took place on May 8, where they reiterated that the construction must proceed according to the approved alignment. However, the Railway Administration has pointed out that protests and delays could derail the project’s timeline, which targets completion by December 2026.
Additionally, a proposal for the acquisition of 224.20 square meters of land has already been submitted on February 6, 2025, and railway officials maintain that the current plan conforms to the sanctioned “simple” alignment.
The South Western Railway has now appealed to the district administration to convene a meeting with residents and stakeholders at the earliest to resolve the impasse and avoid further project delays.
The battle over the Second Gate RoB highlights the growing tension between infrastructure development and local urban realities — a balance that authorities must now navigate with care and sensitivity.