Kumaraswamy asks Karnataka CM to take over NICE road project, stop toll

Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy has urged Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to take over the NICE road project and immediately halt what he termed unauthorised toll collection. In a seven-page letter, the JD(S) leader cited recent Karnataka High Court observations on alleged irregularities in the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) and demanded corrective action, the Hindustan Times reports.

Kumarasway alleged that NICE had violated the framework agreement and project technical agreement. He referred to Supreme Court judgments, a 2016 legislative committee report, and cabinet sub-committee recommendations on recovering additional land allotted to the company. The Deccan Herald notes Kumaraswamy claimed NICE was sitting on a land bank of over 20,000 acres and had failed to comply with toll-rate notification norms.

Chief Minister Shivakumar said he had not yet read the letter but stated the government would act according to the law. Kumaraswamy urged the state to take control of the project through legislation and halt toll collection immediately, citing the High Court's concern that the stalled project needed a critical review.