Belagavi: Farmers affected by the proposed Belagavi-Kittur-Dharwad railway line have revived their demand for higher compensation for acquired land, warning of an intensified agitation if rates are not revised. A delegation from Belagavi and Kittur submitted a memorandum to Lok Sabha MP and former chief minister Jagadish Shettar on Friday, seeking enhanced compensation for land acquired for the 73-km rail corridor.Farmers said the compensation fixed at Rs 45 lakh per acre near Hirebagewadi and Rs 35 lakh per acre elsewhere is below prevailing market rates. The govt has been trying to acquire nearly 1,400 acres for the project for nine years, but resistance from landowners has delayed the process. About 90% of the required land is in Belagavi district and the rest in Dharwad.Farmers argued that the affected villages are among the region’s key agricultural belts and that loss of fertile land would impact livelihoods. Leaders Fakirgouda Patil and Shashidhar Rotti urged Shettar to intervene and seek revised rates. Shettar assured them he would take up the issue with the Belagavi deputy commissioner.
