**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Ministry of Railways' response to an unstarred question regarding railway line projects in the Shivamogga Lok Sabha Constituency, to be answered on December 10, 2025. It outlines the status of the Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur and Shimoga-Harihar new line projects, reasons for delays, and measures to expedite completion. It further details the budget allocations for the state of Karnataka and status of other projects.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Project Status and Cost Sharing:**
* The Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur new line project (96 km) and the Shivamogga-Harihar new line project (79 km) are sanctioned on a 50:50 cost-sharing basis. Land is to be provided free of cost by the Government of Karnataka (GoK).
* The Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur new line project requires 559 ha, of which 226 ha is acquired, and 333 ha are yet to be acquired.
* The Shivamogga-Harihar new line project requires 488 ha, but GoK has shown its inability to share the cost and to provide land free of cost, holding up the project.
* **Budget Allocation in Karnataka:**
* Budget allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works in Karnataka has increased significantly, from ₹835 crore/year (2009-14) to ₹7,564 crore (2025-26).
* As of April 1, 2025, 25 projects (15 new lines, 10 doubling) of 3,264 km length, costing ₹42,517 crore, are sanctioned in Karnataka. 1,394km has been completed with a total of 21,310 crore spent up to March 2025.
* **Land Acquisition and Project Delays:**
* In the last three years, 65 surveys covering 7,239 km have been sanctioned in Karnataka.
* Several major projects, including Shimoga-Rannebennur and Belgaum-Dharwad new lines, are delayed due to land acquisition issues.
* Karnataka requires 9,020 ha of land for projects, with 5,679 ha (63%) acquired and 3,341 ha (37%) yet to be acquired.
* **Factors affecting Railway project completion:**
* Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the proposed route, first and last mile connectivity, connection of missing links, augmentation of congested/saturated lines, demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public representatives, Railway's own operational requirements, Socio-economic considerations, Overall availability of funds, Land acquisition by State Government, Forest clearance, Shifting of infringing utilities, Statutory clearances from various authorities, Geological and topographical conditions of area, Law and order situation in the area of project site, Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc. affect project completion.
**Impact Analysis**
**Government of Karnataka (GoK)**
* **Impact:** GoK needs to provide land free of cost for railway projects and is responsible for land acquisition and forest clearances. The inability to meet these requirements is delaying projects.
* **Action Required:** Address land acquisition issues, provide land free of cost as agreed, and expedite forest clearances for the Shimoga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur and Shivamogga-Harihar projects.
**Ministry of Railways**
* **Impact:** Responsible for executing railway projects in Karnataka, but success depends on the support of the GoK.
* **Action Required:** Continue efforts to execute projects, address project delays by working with state government.
**Shivamogga Lok Sabha Constituency**
* **Impact:** The constituency will benefit from the completion of new railway line projects improving connectivity in the region.
* **Action Required:** Advocate for timely completion of railway projects and address concerns related to land acquisition and financial contribution.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Railways: The primary department responsible for railway projects discussed in the document.
Karnataka: The state where the railway projects are located and are being implemented.
Shivamogga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur New Line: One of the specific railway projects discussed, facing land acquisition challenges.
Shivamogga - Harihar New Line: The new rail project that is facing land acquisition issues and cost sharing problems.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1751
TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.12.2025
RAILWAY LINE IN SHIVAMOGGA
1751. SHRI B Y RAGHAVENDRA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) the current status of the following new railway line projects, which
fall wholly or partially within the Shivamogga Lok Sabha Constituency
along with their respective original target completion dates and the
revised expected timelines, project-wise;
(i) Shimoga - Shikaripura - Ranebennur New Line (Approx.
103 Km)
(ii) Shimoga - Harihar New Line (Approx. 79 Km)
(b) the reasons for the delay in land acquisition and forest clearance from
the State Government of Karnataka along with project-wise breakup
of the land required, land acquired and balance land to be acquired;
(c) the current status of the cost-sharing agreement for both projects
including the amount demanded from the State Government by the
Railways and the amount actually deposited by the State Government
till date; and
(d) the details of the measures taken or proposed by the Government to
speed up land acquisition, forest clearances and the State’s financial
contribution ensuring timely completion?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (d): Shivamogga-Shikaripura-Ranebennur new line project (96 km) has
...2/--2-
been sanctioned on 50:50 cost sharing basis and land to be provided free
of cost by Government of Karnataka (GoK). Total land required is 559 ha,
out of which 226 ha land has been acquired and balance 333 ha land is yet
to be acquired.
Shivamogga-Harihar new line project (79 km) has been sanctioned on 50:50
cost sharing basis and land to be provided free of cost by Government of
Karnataka (GoK). Railways had requested GoK to acquire entire land of 488
ha for the project. However, GoK has shown their inability to share the cost
and to provide land free of cost. The project has been held up on this
account.
Karnataka:-
Budget allocation in the recent years has increased significantly. Budget
allocation for infrastructure projects and safety works, falling fully/partly in
the State of Karnataka is as under:
Period Outlay
2009-14 ₹835 crore/year
2025-26 ₹7,564 crore (more than 9 times)
As on 01.04.2025, 25 projects (15 new lines, 10 doubling) of 3,264 km
length, costing ₹ 42,517 crore falling fully/partly in Karnataka are
sanctioned. The summary is as under:-
Category No of Total Length Exp
sanctioned Length Commissioned upto Mar'25
Projects (in km) Upto Mar'25 (km) (₹ in cr.)
New Line 15 2,034 421 8,794
Doubling/ 1,230 973 12,516
10
Multitracking
Total 25 3,264 1,394 21,310
…3/--3-
Details of some of the recently completed projects falling fully/partly in
Karnataka are as under :
S. No Project Cost
(₹in Crores)
1 Kottur-Harihar new line (65 km) 468
2 Hassan-Bangalore new line (167 km) 1,290
3 Bidar-Gulbarga new line (110 km) 1,543
4 Shivani - Hosadurga Road doubling (10 km) 50
5 Shivani - Birur Doubling (29 km) 143
6 Hosadurga-Chikjajur doubling (29 km) 260
7 Ramanagram-Mysore patch doubling (94 km) 998
8 Yelahanka–Chennasadra doubling (13 km) 108
9 Yeshwantpur-Yelahanka doubling (12 km) 95
10 Netrawati-Mangalore Central doubling (2 km) 28
11 Kankanadi-Panambur doubling (19 km) 350
12 Arsikere-Tumkur doubling (96 km) 758
13 Yelahanka- Penukonda doubling (123 km) 1,104
14 Daund-Gulbarga doubling (225 km) 3,182
15 Hubli-Chikjajur doubling (190 km) 1,850
Some of the projects falling fully/partly in Karnataka which have been taken
up are as under:
S Cost
Project
No. (₹ in Crores)
1 Hospet - Hubli - Londa - Vasco - de - Gama 4,153
doubling (312 km)
2 Hotgi-Gadag doubling (284 km) 2,459
3 Ginigera - Raichur new line (165 km) 3,401
4 Gadag - Wadi new line (257 km) 2,842
5 Bagalkot – Kudachi new line (142 km) 1,649
6 Tumkur – Rayadurga new line (207 km) 2,496
7 Tumkur – Davangere new line (182 km) 2,142
8 Kadur – Chikmagalur – Belur new line (68 km) 825
9 Baiyyapanahalli – Hosur doubling (48 km) 336
10 Yeshwanthpur – Channasandra doubling (22 km) 314
...4/--4-
In last three years i.e. 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25 and current financial year
2025-26, 65 surveys (25 new line and 40 doubling) covering a total length of
7,239 km has been sanctioned falling fully/partly in the State of Karnataka.
Details of some major projects which are delayed due to land acquisition
are as under:-
Total Land Balance
Land acquired Land to be
S No. Project
required (in ha) acquired
(in ha) (in ha)
1 Shimoga–Rannebennur new line (96
559 226 333
km)
2 Belgaum –Dharwad new line (73 km) 581 0 581
3 Shimoga – Harihar new line (79 km) 488 0 488
4 Whitefield-Kolar new line (53 km) 337 0 337
5 Hassan-Belur new line (32 km) 206 0 206
Summary of the status of land acquisition in Karnataka is as under:-
Total Land required for Projects in Karnataka 9,020 ha
Land Acquired 5,679 ha (63%)
Balance Land to be acquired 3,341 ha (37%)
Government of India is geared up to execute projects, however success
depends upon the support of Government of Karnataka.
Sanction of any railway project depend upon many parameters/factors
which include the following:
Anticipated traffic projections and remunerativeness of the proposed
route
…5/--5-
First and last mile connectivity provided by the project
Connection of missing links and providing additional route
Augmentation of congested/saturated lines
Demands raised by State Governments/Central Ministries/Public
representatives
Railway’s own operational requirements
Socio-economic considerations
Overall availability of funds
Completion of Railway project/s depends on various factors which include
the following:
Land acquisition by State Government
Forest clearance
Shifting of infringing utilities
Statutory clearances from various authorities
Geological and topographical conditions of area
Law and order situation in the area of project site
Number of working months in a year for particular project site etc.
All these factors affect the completion time and cost of the project/s.
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