HUBBALLI
A major decision has been taken in Karnataka’s civic administration as the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to form the Greater Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (BHDMC), officially reversing earlier plans to split the twin-city body.
The resolution was approved during a general meeting, despite strong opposition from Congress members, who staged protests inside the council hall.
Earlier, a proposal had been moved to create a separate municipal corporation for Dharwad, and it was even forwarded to the state government for approval. However, the latest decision withdraws that plan and supports a unified, larger corporation instead.
The move comes after discussions on financial planning under the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission. Officials and supporters of the resolution said that dividing the corporation could reduce central and state funding, which would negatively affect development projects in both cities.
Mayor Jyoti Patil said the earlier proposal for a separate Dharwad corporation was made expecting better financial support. However, after reviewing funding patterns, the civic body concluded that a single larger corporation would attract more grants and ensure balanced development across Hubballi and Dharwad.
She added that the decision was taken with a long-term development vision in mind and that the idea of splitting the corporation has now been officially withdrawn.
However, opposition leaders strongly objected to the decision. Leader of Opposition in the corporation Imran Yaligara accused the ruling members of changing their stand for political reasons. He said that earlier support for a separate corporation was projected as a development step, but the sudden reversal has created confusion.
Congress members protested during the meeting, calling the decision unilateral and demanding proper discussion before finalizing such an important civic restructuring move.
Despite the protests, the resolution for forming the Greater Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation was passed, marking a significant shift in the administrative structure of the twin cities and setting the stage for a unified urban development approach in the coming years.
