Hidkal dam is located in the Hukeri town of Belgaum district of Karnataka state. This dam is constructed in the Krishna basin across the Ghataprabha River. It is an earthen, gravity type dam constructed with the main purpose of providing irrigation to the nearby agricultural land and water to the hydroelectric project. The dam has a length of 10183 meters and height of 62.48 meters. The construction of Hidkal dam was completed in 1977.

Construction

The approximate expenditure of the Hidkal dam project was Rs. 9.47 crores. This dam caters for the irrigation of approximately 13400 hectors of agriculture lands in the Hukkeri taluk of Belgaum. This dam is also popularly known as Raja Lakhamgowda Dam. 

Attractions

Picnic Spots

Numerous fossils were excavated from nearby areas of the dam site which makes it a place of interest for the archeologists. It is also a popular tourists place for the tourists visiting Belgaum.

Nearby Tourist Attractions

Belgaum Fort

Belgaum Fort is a monument of the Pre-Muslim time. This fort was constructed by the rulers of the Ratta dynasty in the early 13th century. It is a popular tourist destination for the people visiting Belgaum.

Kamala Basti

Kamala Basti is a popular colony constructed inside the Belgaum Fort in 1204 for settlement of people. It has the remains of a Jain temple and tourists can adore the Chalukyan style architecture.

Kapileshwara Temple

It is one of the oldest temples in Belgaum. As per a common belief visit of 12 Jyotirlingas is considered incomplete without visiting this temple regarded as ‘Dakshina Kashi’.

Rakaskop

The name Rakaskop means a demon’s village in the local language. A large cave resembling a huge human figure is believed to be the place where a large demon lived. This place is visited by tourists to relive old stories.

Varapoha Falls

This water fall located 20 km from Belgaum is located in Jamboti. The river Mandovi, which originates from Jamboti hills, gives an exciting and thrilling experience for the tourists.

Ramakrishna Ashram

This was the place where Swami Vivekananda stayed for few days in 1892. This has been gifted to the Ramakrishna Mission. This Ashram has been renovated and conducts several programmes and classes for motivational purposes and awakening.

Kittur Fort and Palace

This fort is located in Honnidibba. It is a special place of interest for archeologists and historians. This fort is associated with the bravery of Rani Chennamma, who revolted against the British.

How to Reach

By Air

The nearest airport to the Hidkal dam site is Sambra which is located at a distance of 10 km from the Belgaum city. Spice Jet operates direct flight to Belgaum from Mumbai and Bangalore. The other nearby airports is at Hubli at a distance of 94 km and Pune at 335km.

By Road

Belgaum is well connected by road to most of the cities in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa and Maharashtra through National Highway-4. There are numerous KSRTC buses and private buses running between prominent destinations.

By Train

Belgaum is part of the South Western Division of the Indian Railways. There are numerous trains from cities like Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mangalore and Chennai. It is one of the oldest railway stations in the Konkan route.