NICE battleground shifts to Mysore

NICE battleground shifts to Mysore
Vijay Times

Bangalore: The battleground for Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) and the State Government has shifted from Bangalore to Mysore.

NICE has to get 15 acres of land from Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) for starting the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project from the Mysore side from July 6.

But, MUDA is striking a different note. It says it will hand over the land, but not before it receives Rs 85 lakh from KIADB. KIADB, on the other hand, is not in a mood to give the amount to MUDA and in effect it cannot release the land to begin the BMIC project from Mysore.

Secretariat sources told Vijay Times that KIADB was ready to release the money to MUDA, but not before NICE managing director Ashok Kheny promises to pay the revised rates of land to farmers, from whom MUDA had purchased land earlier. Farmers are demanding Rs 6 to Rs 8 lakh per acre of land, sources said.

Sources said KIADB was cajoling Kheny to sign a tripartite agreement involving MUDA, NICE with itself. Kheny, however, has refused to be a signatory to the agreement. Kheny alleged that the government was unnecessarily pushing NICE into a mess which it was not party to. ‘‘The problem is between MUDA and KIADB. And it is for them to solve the quagmire. I have given Rs 85 lakh to KIADB and my duty ends there, he said.

Kheny, however, is firm on commencing the project from Mysore irrespective of MUDA providing land or not. Work will begin on July 6. Our workers are ready and I do not seek politicians support.

What if government intervened and stalled the proposed work? Kheny said he would approach the Supreme Court again for not releasing the land.

Congress has vowed to support him in the event of a confrontation. Former mayors Dakshinamurthy and Modamani have already written to Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Chief Secretary B K Das to expedite transfer of land to commence BMIC work from Mysore.