Govt slaps notice on Nice for violating framework agreement

After maintaining silence for close to 3 years, the state government has started pulling up the promoter of the controversial Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC).

The Public Works Department (PWD) recently slapped a default notice on the promoter, Nice (Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise), for not complying with the project Framework Agreement (FWA) as far as the construction of concrete roads (pavement for expressway, link road and peripheral road) is concerned. The department had given 180 days’ time to the company to rectify the lapse. But the promoter has obtained a stay order from the High Court of Karnataka.

In a detailed report to the government, the PWD has said the company was supposed to complete the phase I and II of the toll road within 8 years of the initial financial closure, which happened in March 29, 2003. This includes construction of 4-lane concrete pavement as per the FWA. The then government in 2002 had accepted the company’s request to initially construct 2-lane roads of bituminous pavement and open it for traffic as toll road, subject to completion of the 4-lane concrete pavement as mentioned in the FWA.

The project envisages constructing 111 km of expressway between Bengaluru and Mysuru, 41-km peripheral road, 9.8-km link road (both around Bengaluru) and five townships under Build, Own, Operate and Transfer basis. A major portion of the peripheral road and link road and some portion of expressway is complete. The project has come to a standstill. The company has sought lands from the government to complete the project. But the government has refused, arguing that it has already given sufficient lands.

Further, the PWD said the cement concrete surface should be designed to have a life span of 60 years and should conform with international standards. “As per Article 6.3 of FWA, the company shall design and shall cause the designer to design the toll road in accordance with the technical requirements. The pavement of the expressway, link and peripheral roads shall be a rigid, as per para 6.4.1.2 of the project technical report. The thickness of the concrete slab to be provided has been calculated as 300mm for all the reaches,” the department stated.