Delay in receiving BMIC papers enrages BJP, JD(S)

A recent meeting of the legislature committee looking into the irregularities by the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) in executing the Bengaluru-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project, witnessed heated arguments, with BJP and JD(S) members objecting to delays by officers in submitting documents sought by them.

BJP members Satish Reddy and S R Vishwanath and JD(S) member P R Sudhakar Lal are said to have raised a hue and cry at the meeting, blaming the Public Works Department and the KIADB officers of trying to mislead the committee.

The members demanded from the panel chairman and Law Minister T B Jayachandra the reason for not producing the documents before the committee even after seven meetings.

The members accused NICE of collecting toll even after the financial closure of the peripheral road in 2012 and acquiring additional land beyond the scope of the project.

Speaking to reporters, Reddy confirmed that they had sought answers from the officials on the action taken on certain violations.

Jayachandra said that accusations of records being burnt or having gone missing have been made by some members.

He added that he had dispatched instructions to all the departments involved in the NICE corridor land acquisition to conduct an internal inquiry into the matter and report to the committee.

He said that till date, the committee has met seven times and it has made headway with discussing the accusations.

“It is a work in progress,” said Jayachandra.