At a press conference held in Belagavi, Minister for Commerce & Industries, Infrastructure M.B. Patil /imannounced plans to establish a start-up park on a 100-acre site between Belagavi and Hubballi. He stated that this initiative is expected to greatly benefit young entrepreneurs by providing them a dedicated space to grow and innovate.
Addressing the media, Minister Patil emphasized the importance of fostering a robust start-up ecosystem in Karnataka, drawing inspiration from Bengaluru, which has already emerged as a start-up hub. “We will replicate this success by creating a start-up park in the region between Belagavi and Hubballi,” he said.
Patil also discussed the ongoing efforts to develop an industrial corridor between Belagavi and Hubballi. He noted that while there was a proposal to establish an international airport near Kittur, the recent upgrades to Belagavi and Hubballi airports have made this difficult. However, the state government remains committed to enhancing industrial infrastructure in the area.
The minister also highlighted challenges concerning the direct railway line between Dharwad and Belagavi, citing alignment issues as a significant hurdle. “There have been discussions about creating a direct train route between Dharwad and Belagavi, but alignment problems persist,” Patil explained. He added that a meeting was held recently to address these technical issues, and he has instructed officials to find appropriate solutions.
Furthermore, he mentioned that the proposed changes could reduce the train travel time between Belagavi and Bangalore by up to five hours. However, there has been some resistance from the Railway Department regarding the proposed alignment change, and Minister Patil is engaging with concerned legislators and ministers to resolve this matter.