Former Chief Minister and Belagavi MP Jagadish Shettar on Tuesday stated that the twin cities of Hubballi and Dharwad are among the most developed in Karnataka, with Belagavi also being well-developed. He proposed that if Hubballi-Dharwad and Belagavi were combined into a 'triple city', it could significantly accelerate regional development.
Logistics Summit Inauguration
Shettar made these remarks while inaugurating a Logistics Summit held as part of Incomex 2026, an industries and commerce exhibition organized by the Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) at the APMC premises in Hubballi.
Rail Link Progress
He highlighted ongoing efforts to establish a direct Dharwad-Belagavi rail route, with meetings already held with railway officials. Shettar noted that 1,700 acres of land had been acquired for the proposed rail connection from Hubballi to Belagavi via Kittur. However, compensation from the state government is still pending. In Dharwad, 240 acres out of the required 300 acres have been acquired.
Shettar emphasized that if the state releases the compensation immediately, construction could begin within six to seven months. He added that a direct rail link would further boost development in the region.
Praise for KCCI
Shettar lauded KCCI office-bearers for their active role and various programmes. He suggested that the chamber should organize an event every two months at the Multipurpose Exhibition Centre to maintain momentum.
Among those present at the event were MLC Pradeep Shettar, HDMC corporator Mallikarjuna Gundur, KCCI Hubballi president G K Adappagoudar, Incomex chairman Mahadeva Karamari, Udaya Revanakar, Praveen Agadi, Prakash Sringeri, Jayaprakash Tenginakai, Siddeshwar Kammar, and others.
