Jagadish Shettar, Member of Parliament for Belagavi and former Chief Minister of Karnataka, met Union Minister of Railways Shri Ashwini Vaishnav at Railway Bhawan to advocate for critical rail projects benefitting the region.
Shettar urged the Railway Minister to revisit the feasibility of a Lokapur-Savadatti-Dharwad railway line, highlighting its potential to support the large influx of devotees visiting Shri Renuka Yellamma Devi Temple in Savadatti.
A preliminary survey conducted in 2019 deemed the project unfeasible due to anticipated low congestion on the proposed route. However, recent data from the district tourism department shows that over 1.23 crore devotees visited the temple between April 2022 and March 2023, reflecting a surge in pilgrimage traffic. The MP emphasized that this significant increase, coupled with ongoing central government-funded developmental works in the region, justifies a fresh survey.
Shri Vaishnav assured Shettar that the proposal for a new survey would be reviewed and considered in the coming days.
In addition to this, Shettar advocated for extending the Vande Bharat Express, which currently runs between Bengaluru and Dharwad, to Belagavi. He pointed out that minor adjustments to the train’s schedule could make this extension feasible, improving connectivity for the city. The Railway Minister responded positively, assuring Shettar that this demand would also be addressed soon.