# Kumaraswamy urges motorists to skip NICE Road toll 2026-08-22T02:46:11+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has again urged motorists to not pay toll on the NICE Road in Bengaluru, claiming the company is collecting it illegally. Speaking on August 21, he said people should not be intimidated even if FIRs are registered against them. He alleged that around Rs 2,000 crore has already been collected and questioned the state government's role in the matter. Kumaraswamy also targeted Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, asking whether he was running the government or the NICE company. His earlier appeal has led to confusion and arguments at toll plazas, with many motorists refusing to pay. The toll operator has put up notices warning of legal action for non-payment. ## Indian Opinion Analysis This is not the first time Kumaraswamy has opposed NICE Road toll, he has raised the issue during earlier stints as chief minister. The NICE Road (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises) is a 41-km elevated expressway built under a 1990s concession agreement. The key question is whether the toll rates are contractually set or arbitrarily raised. The matter could ultimately land in court. The next signal to watch is whether the Karnataka government issues any formal order on toll collection. ## Coverage - siasat.com Reports Kumaraswamy's remarks and motorist confusion without taking sides, though the headline highlights his appeal. This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Bengaluru, DK Shivakumar, HD Kumaraswamy, Karnataka, NICE Road Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kumaraswamy-urges-motorists-to-skip-nice-road-toll/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kumaraswamy-urges-motorists-to-skip-nice-road-toll/#story-in-brief How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/