All set for inauguration of NICE peripheral road

All set for inauguration of NICE peripheral road

The Hindu

Company agrees to build underpasses to provide access to villages

Bangalore: After days of dispute, charges and explanations, villagers in Bangalore Rural district patched up with Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Ltd. on Wednesday.

NICE Managing Director Ashok Kheny visited the site of protest, where activists of Raitha Hitarakshana Samiti had pitched a tent on the expressway and have been protesting for the past few days.

After discussions, it was agreed that villages on both sides of the road would have access through the underpasses that they could use without any hindrance.

Water

About the water needs of the villagers who had surrendered their land on the Somapura stretch of the new peripheral road between Mysore Road and Kanakapura Road, NICE officials said two borewells already drilled could be used by them while a third borewell was being drilled.

"Almost all outstanding issues like free passage across the expressway for villagers on either side of the road have been resolved amicably.

"Where we could not agree to their demands was for lifetime free use of the road itself; we explained that the court directions would not allow it for any road users," a NICE spokesperson said. The company is going ahead with the inauguration of the peripheral road of about 16 km on Friday as scheduled and the remaining work would be completed as planned, the spokesperson said. He was hopeful the villagers would attend the function.