Kheny ‘friends’ in govt to face music

Kheny ‘friends’ in govt to face music
The Times of India

Bangalore: The government on Saturday hinted that action would be initiated against officials who had allegedly joined hands with NICE in the past and allotted excess land. Law and parliamentary affairs minister Basavaraj S Horatti told reporters that the government is examining the BMIC project. It will announce a final decision shortly. “According to the 1999 notification, the total land required was 29,000 acres, whereas NICE needed only 21,000 acres.’’

“The issue will be discussed threadbare at the
JDSLP meeting on Sunday. The public will be informed of the facts of the issue.’’
Taking note of BMIC promoter Ashok Kheny’s statement that if given the entire land required the 41-km peripheral road will be completed by August 15, the public works department asked him to implement the project as “originally conceived’’.

In a letter to Kheny, additional chief secretary and PWD principal secretary P B Mahishi said the government is taking measures to make available a total of 2,193 acres of land for construction of a peripheral road and seven interchanges, and 278 acres of land for construction of the link road and an interchange. “You are bound to honour the SC verdict as conceived and confine yourself to the rights available in the agreement,’’ the letter said.

The letter quoted portions of SC and HC judgments on the BMIC issue. “The state is of the view that as the project has been directed to be implemented as originally conceived and upheld by this court in Somashekhar Reddy’s case’’, the government is willing to fulfil its obligations.

Mahishi said the SC recorded “it is pertinent to note that NICE can develop townships only after expressway is completed”, thus delineating the road component from the townships project.