Govt not nice to BMIC, plots new hurdle

Govt not nice to BMIC, plots new hurdle
Plans To File Review Petition In Supreme Court Against Its Order
The Times of India

Bangalore: Even as the first stretch of Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor is ready to be thrown open on June 16, the state government is contemplating yet another spoke in the wheel: A review petition of the Supreme Court order that cleared all hurdles for the project.

The SC had given the go-ahead to the project and granted all the land identified in the framework agreement. But the public works department is still reluctant to hand over about 900 acres to Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) on the grounds that it is “excessive’’.

The construction company’s managing director Ashok Kheny, pointing out that the petition would further delay the project, told the Sunday Times of India: “The same argument was discussed before the Supreme Court and was dismissed. I have won 330 cases on the issue.’’

The project has been hanging fire for nearly 10 years.

Still, chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is being advised to file the petition before July 1. As before, the reason: Land being converted into real estate.

PWD’s opposition to hand over the 900 acres — largely for interchanges (flyovers) — is based on calculation given by NICE’s own technical committee during the framework agreement. “They have said they need 70 acres for an interchange, the PWD has given that. The demand for about 300 acres per interchange is too much,’’ sources said.

The example being given is of Bangalore’s biggest flyover, the clover-leaf Hebbal interchange, that needed 27 acres.

Sources said the state is giving NICE nearly three times the land for each interchange.

The PWD had earlier opposed giving NICE 2,541 acres of land, saying it was in excess. Of this, about 700 acres have been handed over since Kumaraswamy took over.

Officials said: “NICE has some legitimate demands for small portions of the road. These are being notified now, along with 209 acres needed for the expressway itself. There is no opposition to handing these over.’’
Khenyspeak

I have won 330 cases on the issue. But in a democracy, anyone is welcome to go to the court. Eventually they have to obey the law. The apex court has given me the land. I don’t want to say anything more.