Belagavi Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan and senior officials taking stock of preparations for Karnataka’s Winter Session in Belagavi.
BELAGAVI
The imposing Suvarna Vidhana Soudha (SVS) at Belagavi transforms into the seat of power for Karnataka’s 2025 winter session, with the long-pending Kalsa-Bhandura water diversion issue expected to take centre stage among other issues.
Security, lodging and protest-management plans already in place and expectations running high across North Karnataka as the Winter Session of the State Legislature gets underway from December 8.
There will be no rooms available for Goan visitors from December 8 to December 18 as the authorities have booked almost all of the available 3,500 rooms in city hotels and resorts.
The huge SVS was established to bring state-level governance closer to the northern region, particularly Belagavi, which has long voiced concerns of neglect.
Insiders expect at least two days of the session to focus exclusively on regional issues such as farmers’ distress, drought relief, infrastructure shortages and demands for a dedicated development authority for Kittur-Karnataka.
District authorities under the direction of Deputy Commissioner Mohammed Roshan have intensified preparations for the Winter Assembly.
Senior officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, the Superintendent of Police and heads of key departments, inspected the venue and reviewed arrangements related to accommodation, transport, security, catering and overall logistics.
A large number of officials, politicians and journos who will be camping in Belagavi are expected to visit Goa during these days, especially on the weekends.
"Around 8,000 police personnel have been pressed into service to ensure the smooth conduct of the proceedings as the entire state cabinet and the government machinery from Bengaluru will be descending upon Belagavi,” Deputy Commissioner Roshan said.
“A newly developed park and decorative fountain, built at an estimated cost of Rs 4.5 crore by the Public Works Department, will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister on the second day of the session. The facility is being set up to boost tourism infrastructure development in North Karnataka.”
To maintain law and order, prohibitory orders have been imposed within a three-kilometre radius of the SVS from December 1 to 21.
These restrictions, covering public gatherings, rallies, sloganeering and drone usage, aim to prevent disruptions along the busy Pune–Bengaluru National Highway near the complex. A strict warning has been issued to groups raising the Belagavi-Maharashtra merger demand, including MES, stating that the “Mahamelava” will not be permitted.
Meanwhile, citizens have expressed concern over disruptions and diversions caused by road work and VIP traffic routes that will be in force for over 10 days.
