Intro
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy urged the Karnataka government to halt illegal NICE toll collection, demanding a CBI probe into land scams.
CH NEWS, BENGALURU
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has strongly urged the Karnataka government to immediately halt toll collection by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), citing a recent Karnataka High Court ruling that declared the practice illegal.
Speaking at a media conference in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy highlighted a July 28 High Court verdict from a two-member bench. The court ruled that the controversial Bangalore-Mysore highway project has involved severe irregularities, fake documents, and massive land scams. He noted that the judiciary questioned why the state administration remains silent while a private firm exploits farmers and everyday commuters.
Kumaraswamy criticized the ruling Congress party, demanding to know why they have failed to act on the court’s findings. He pointed out that the project, originally conceived in 1997, has snowballed into one of the state’s biggest corruption cases, encompassing thousands of acres of land banks and unauthorized toll hikes. He specifically called out state leaders for allegedly ignoring the plight of landowners who have struggled for decades to receive proper compensation through the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB).
Directly addressing the public, youth, and farmers, the Union Minister urged citizens to refuse payment at NICE toll booths starting immediately. He announced that he plans to write a detailed letter to the state government and has given officials a strict deadline of one week to take corrective action. If the administration fails to respond, Kumaraswamy warned that opposition parties will launch severe protests both on the streets and inside the legislative assembly. Furthermore, he demanded a full Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the project, the cancellation of existing contracts, and the return of acquired lands to the original owners.
Quote
The court has questioned why the government remains silent while a private company loots the public. We will give a one-week deadline before launching a major fight.
- H.D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister
