NICE project cleared

NICE project cleared
Bangalore, DHNS:
The decks have now been cleared for the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) to go ahead with the BMIC (Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor) project under a BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) concept.


The State Empowered Committee, headed by Chief Secretary Sudh-akar Rao and comprising principal secretary (Pu-blic Works Department) Sudhir Krishna, gave its clearance on Wednesday. This followed the April 25 decision of the Gove-rnor’s executive comm-ittee giving NICE the go-ahead, in adherence to the Supreme Court ruling of April 2006.

This move now paves way for the completion of the peripheral and link roads and handing over of 2,200 acres of land to NICE. It may be recalled that the transfer of land was stalled by the HD Kumaraswamy led JD (S)-BJP coalition government.

The executive committee of the State Public Works Department issued the order for the project’s completion.

The executive committee modified Kumaraswamy’s cabinet decisions taken in August last year. The then government had decided not to execute any sale deed in favour of NICE. Subsequently, it had invited fresh global tenders to take up the BMIC project through the Swiss challenge method suggested by the Global Infrastructure Consortium. However, the Supreme Court struck down the Government’s Swiss challenge method.
Speaking to Deccan Herald on the latest development, Ashok Kheny, the managing director of NICE said he welcomes the decision.

“I stand vindicated as justice has been delivered. This goes to prove that all allegations against NICE including acquisition of excess land was done just to defame us and deny development to the people,” said Kheny. On whether NICE would now withdraw its petitions, Mr Kheny said his lawyers would take a decision soon.