MANGALURU: Several key railway projects in Karnataka has been stalled owing to delays in land acquisition by the state government, even as the Centre has significantly increased budgetary support for infrastructure development in the region.
In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, overall, Karnataka requires 9,020 hectares of land for various projects, of which 63% (5,679 ha) has been acquired, while 3,341 ha is still pending.
Dharwad–Belagavi via Kittur new line project (73 km), sanctioned on a 50:50 cost-sharing with Karnataka, has been held up entirely due to pending land acquisition.
As per the agreement, land is to be provided free of cost by the state.
The other projects facing significant delays due to land acquisition include 333 ha pending for Shimoga–Rannebennur new line (96 km), 581 ha pending for Belgaum–Dharwad new line (73 km), 488 ha pending for Shimoga–Harihar new line (79 km), 337 ha pending for Whitefield–Kolar new line (53 km), and206 ha pending for Hassan–Belur new line (32 km).
Responding to queries on delays and cost escalations, the minister said completion of timelines depend on factors such as land acquisition, statutory clearances, forest permissions, utility shifting, topographical challenges and law and order conditions – all of which can affect both cost and time.
The Centre, is geared up to execute projects, but timely progress depends heavily on the support and cooperation of the state government, he said.
Vaishnaw said the annual outlay for Karnataka has risen from Rs 835 crore per year during 2009–14 to Rs 7,564 crore in 2025–26, an increase of more than nine times.
As of April 1, 2025, a total of 25 sanctioned projects, including 15 new lines and 10 doubling works covering 3,264 km and costing Rs 42,517 crore, fall completely or partly within Karnataka. Of these, 1,394 km have been commissioned so far, with an expenditure of Rs 21,310 crore.
Recently completed projects include the Kottur–Harihar, Hassan–Bengaluru, Bidar–Gulbarga and several other doubling projects across Shivamogga, Bengaluru, Mangaluru, Arsikere and Hubballi regions.
Meanwhile, major ongoing projects such as the Hospet–Hubli–Londa–Vasco doubling, Hotgi–Gadag doubling and new lines like Gadag–Wadi, Bagalkot–Kudachi, Tumkur-Rayadurga and Tumkur–Davangere continue to progress, the minister said.