BELAGAVI: In a major boost to North Karnataka, the Cabinet on Thursday cleared a massive Rs 3,500-crore development package on the penultimate day of the Belagavi winter session on Thursday, signalling a renewed focus on long-pending regional aspirations.
A substantial portion of the outlay, Rs 1,503 crore, has been earmarked for irrigation projects, underlining the government’s priority to strengthen the agrarian economy of the drought-prone region. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to formally announce the package while replying to the North Karnataka debate in the Assembly on Friday morning.
The Cabinet also approved a Bill on judicial reforms at the district level, which will be tabled in the legislature on Friday. However, the politically sensitive issue of internal reservation in promotions was deferred, with no timeline announced for reconsideration.
The Cabinet also granted administrative approval for three packages aimed at transporting and processing construction material under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model within the Greater Bengaluru jurisdiction. The project involves handling 750 tonnes per day per package — totalling 2,250 tonnes — and carries an estimated cost of Rs 1,715 crore over a 15-year period.
Adding to Belagavi’s infrastructure push, the Cabinet gave the green signal to the long-cherished flyover (elevated corridor) project, a flagship initiative of the Public Works Department and Belagavi district in-charge minister Satish Jarkiholi.
The ambitious project, estimated at Rs 4,500 crore, is designed to ease chronic traffic congestion and ensure seamless vehicular movement across key junctions in the city.
As per the blueprint prepared by Hubballi-based VLS Consultants, the main alignment of the flyover will stretch 3,628 metres (around 3.6km) from Sankam Hotel to Dharmaveer Sambhaji Circle (Bogarves). The total corridor length will be about 4.5km, connecting NH-48 to Kittur Rani Chennamma Circle via Ashok Circle and Sangolli Rayanna Circle. The elevated structure will feature a four-lane, 18-metre-wide deck.
With big-ticket announcements spanning irrigation, urban infrastructure and judicial reforms, the Cabinet decisions have set a decisive tone for the concluding phase of the Belagavi session, placing North Karnataka firmly at the centre of the government’s development agenda.