Three decades after the construction of an expressway connecting Bengaluru and Mysuru began, the state government, on Saturday, formed a seven-member cabinet sub-committee to review the progress of the project and suggest further actions. The committee, chaired by Home Minister G Parameshwara, will evaluate the work completed so far and propose additional measures.
The committee includes ministers HK Patil, K H Muniyappa, MB Patil, HC Mahadevappa, Satish Jarkiholi, and Krishna Byre Gowda. According to an official note, the sub-committee is expected to consult with legal and subject matter experts and submit a report within two months on the necessary legal actions. It also noted that the Public Works Department will provide required assistance to the committee.
In a meeting held on April 11, the state cabinet decided to take over the stalled project, as there had been no progress. As of March 2019, only a 4 km stretch of the expressway, 41 km of the peripheral road, and 8.5 km of the link road had been completed. The delay was attributed to land acquisition issues and compensation payments to farmers. A total of 374 court cases concerning BMIC land disputes remain unresolved.
The construction of the expressway was initially approved in 1995 by the undivided Janata Dal government, which also included the development of a peripheral link road and satellite townships. The project, known as the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), was partnered with a consortium led by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE).
Under the Framework Agreement (FWA) signed between NICE and the state government on April 3, 1997, NICE was to receive 20,193 acre of land, including 6,999 acre for a toll road and 13,194 acre for townships. Of the total land, 6,956 acre were government land, while 13,237 acres were privately owned.
Officials have stated that NICE has been accused of violating the framework agreement during the project's implementation.
News source: Hindustan Times
