Only 61% of land acquired for Karnataka railway projects; nearly 4,000 hectares still pending
Land acquisition continues to be one of the biggest hurdles delaying railway infrastructure projects across Karnataka, with only 61% of the required land acquired so
Land acquisition continues to be one of the biggest hurdles delaying railway infrastructure projects across Karnataka, with only 61% of the required land acquired so far. The latest data shows that railway projects across the State require 10,123 hectares. Of this, 6,134 hectares (61%) have been acquired, while 3,989 (39%) remain to be acquired, highlighting a major bottleneck. According to a reply tabled in the Rajya Sabha by the Ministry of Railways on July 24, 2026, to an unstarred question raised by Ajay Maken, the Ministry said that the Union government is fully geared up to execute railway projects, but their timely completion depends significantly on support from the Karnataka government, particularly in facilitating land acquisition.
It added that delays are also caused by forest clearances, shifting of utilities, statutory approvals, geological conditions and law-and-order issues. Most severe delays Among the projects facing the most severe land acquisition delays is the Belagavi–Dharwad new railway line (73 km), where none of the required 581 hectares have been acquired. Similarly, the Shivamogga–Harihar new line (79 km) requires 488 hectares, but no land has yet been acquired. The Whitefield–Kolar new line (53 km) is also awaiting acquisition of all 337 hectares needed for the project, while the Hassan–Belur new line (32 km) has yet to secure any of its required 206 hectares. The Shivamogga–Ranebennur new line (96 km) has made comparatively better progress, with 283 hectares acquired out of the required 559 hectares, leaving 276 hectares still pending.
Suburban Rail Project hit The land acquisition challenge has also affected the progress of the Bengaluru Suburban Rail Project (BSRP), a 148.17-km network being implemented by Rail Infrastructure Development Company (Karnataka) Limited (K-RIDE). The project, sanctioned at a cost of ₹15,767 crore, is jointly funded by the Centre and the Karnataka government, with 20% equity contribution each and the remaining 60% through debt. An expenditure of ₹3,383 crore has been incurred so far. According to the Ministry, land acquisition has been completed only for the Mallige Corridor (Baiyyappanahalli–Chikkabanavara), where construction is progressing. Land acquisition is still under way for the Sampige, Parijaata and Kanaka corridors. In the Kanaka Corridor, 43 acres out of the required 57 have been acquired.
The BriefWire