NICE launches Peacock bridge

The new bridge named ‘Peacok Bridge’ holds huge monolithic structures of one peacock and four bulls (Nandi). Each bull weighs about eight tonnes.

Stating that building the bridge was his dream, NICE Managing Director Ashok Kheny said: “All litigations surrounding the land in this area have been resolved and we could formally complete the construction of the bridge and ramps.”

“We have cleared tonnes of garbage at this place before building the bridge, an act which was welcomed by people residing in the nearby localities,” he added. Kheny said his scheduled meeting with the chief minister, on Thursday afternoon, to discuss the progress of the BMIC project and preparation of a joint status report on the same was cancelled.

However, he refused to say when the next meeting was scheduled. Similarly, he also declined to comment on the letter written by the former PWD Principal Secretary R B Agawane, alleging NICE of securing 554 acres of excess land for the project’s peripheral road. When questioned about a similar project proposed from Bidar to Bangalore, Kheny said: “We have made a formal proposal to the government and wanted it to be included as part of the Global Investors’ Meet. But the government could not act on it, as it has been decided that PPP models would be implemented on the Swiss Challenge method and amendments to accommodate the same was awaiting the Cabinet’s nod.”

He added that once the project gets approval the travel time from Bidar to Bangalore will be reduced to six hours, as opposed to the present 14-16 hours.