Udupi: Former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar has called upon officials from the South Western Railway Division to expedite the process of constructing the Hubli-Ankola railway line. He was addresing at the inauguration of an event titled "Promoting Sustainable Industrial Development and Tourism in Coastal Karnataka" in Manipal.

Shettar said that the railway line would boost commercial activities in Karwar and enable entrepreneurs from North Karnataka to diversify their export routes via the Belekeri port. He also said that the environmental impact of the railway line would be minimal and that environmental activism should not hinder regional development.

Shettar recalled that the foundation ceremony for the railway line was held in 2002, but that legal challenges from environmentalists have delayed the project. He recently met with Union Minister of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav to seek intervention from the National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) for project clearance.

The South Western Railway division has initiated the process of revising the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the railway line in response to a recent High Court directive. Shettar expressed optimism that obtaining all necessary clearances could pave the way for the project's realization in the near future.

Karnataka Assembly Speaker U T Khader, former minister R V Deshpande and many others were present.