People who lost their houses and residential plots due to the expansion of Hubballi Airport who staged a protest on Saturday. | Photo credit:
Several people who lost their houses and residential plots after the acquisition of land for the expansion of Hubballi airport staged a protest outside the Hubballi-Dharwad Urban Development Authority (HDUDA) office on Saturday, alleging delay in allotting alternative sites to the remaining displaced families.
Ragotham N. Kulkarni, who led the protest held under the auspices of “Hubballi Viman Nildana Santrastar Okkoota”, alleged that HDUDA officials had given wrong information to the government and the High Court of Karnataka, resulting in the affected people not getting alternative seats in Rayanal and Bhairidevarakoppa in Hubballi.
He questioned the unfairness in the compensation rates fixed for the land under Survey No. 594B of Unakal village and said that the KIADB paid ₹600 per square foot in 2008, while the compensation was fixed at ₹450 per square foot for similar land in 2011-12.
He alleged that HDUDA, which had earlier charged ₹ 224 per sq ft for alternative sites, now fixed the rate at ₹ 485, which was unfair to the people.
Parvati Pagade, an 80-year-old woman who participated in the protest, said the plot was registered in her late husband’s name and the family had been waiting for rehabilitation for more than a decade. She said they continue to live in a rented house with their son and grandchildren and are struggling to pay the rent.
HDUDA Chairman Shakir Sanadi and MLA MR Patil met the protesters and heard their grievances. Mr. Sanadi assured them that a meeting would be held in his office on January 24 to examine the documents and redress their grievances. The association later submitted a memorandum to the chairman.
Published – 17 Jan 2026 21:07 IST