HD Deve Gowda writes to CM Siddaramiah over alleged illegalities in implementation of BMICP

BENGALURU: Janata Dal-Secular (JDS) Chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Friday wrote a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramiah over the alleged "illegalities" in the implementation of the Bangalore-Mysore Corridor Infrastructure Project (BMICP).

"You are well aware that the farmers in the Banglore-Mysore region are the victims of the most egregious exploitation in the name of the BMICP. The project was originally conceived in 1995 by our government as an infrastructure project intended to de-congest Bangalore City and provide for planned urbanization in the Bangalore-Mysore corridor. However, as the Sadana Samiti Report tabled by your government in the House in 2016 meticulously narrated, the project proponent, M/s. Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise Limited (NICEL), has unconscionably diverted its originally conceived public purpose to enable its private profiteering at the expense of the poor farmers of this great state," the letter read.

"Under Schedule I of the Framework Agreement dated 03.04.1997 ("FWA"), NICEL is entitled only to a total extent of 13,237 acres of private lands for the entire BMICP. But we see that 29,267 acres - more than twice the extent of its entitlement - have been notified under Section 3(1) of the KIAD Act. 13,404 acres in the Bangalore-Mysore region have been under preliminary notification of acquisition for the last 25 years putting the livelihoods of farmers into deep freeze," it added.

The letter went on to say, "Your government went on record before the Hon'ble Supreme Court in 2016 to state on affidavit that NICEL has not been implementing the BMICP in accordance with the FWA and the Project Technical Report ("PTR") which laid the blueprint of the BMICP. Your government stated on record that the Peripheral Road has not been laid in accordance with the FWA alignment. Your government stated on record that NICEL is in possession of 554 acres of land in excess of its entitlements for the Peripheral Road and that further land would be handed over to it, including the 76 acres under Section 28(4) notification."

It further said, "Your government stated no record that the land acquisition for the Expressways and the Townships is not in accordance with the FWA. Your government stated on record that NICEL is in possession of around 2,747 acres of land for the Peripheral Road alone, whereas it has constructed the road only on about 120 acres of land, and that it is unlawfully attempting to exploit the remaining land available with it for real estate developments. The Sadana Samiti report records details of JDAs entered into by NICEL with respect to BMICP lands in at least 41 villages, the total market value of which was estimated as being Rs. 7,07,77,766,040/- in 2016! May I request your good self to see the compensation to be paid at least now?"

"Other findings of the Sadana Samiti report are equally concerning. The collection of toll by NICEL on the Peripheral Road is unlawful as it has failed to convert the bituminous pavement to 350 M concrete pavement in accordance with the specifications and stipulations set out in the PTR. NICEL has, instead, unlawfully undertaken 150 M white topping on the road in express violation of conditions stipulated by the cabinet at the time of approving the collection on the bituminous road," it added.

The letter further stated, "The Sadana Samiti report has conservatively estimated to collection on the Peripheral Road as amounting to 322.65 crores ni 2014-2015, whereas the estimated figures of annual toll collection in the PTR was calculated as around Rs. 88.84 crores by 2014-15. NICEL has been engaged in the unlawful revision of toll rates to illegally profit at the expense of the public, which fact has also been noted by your government in the affidavits filed by it before the Hon'ble Supreme Court in 2016. I request your government to put an end to the inequalities in the implementation of the BMICP. Your office is a sacred trust and I call upon you to bring justice urgently to the farmers of the Bangalore-Mysore region and to keep the faith that the people of this great state have reposed in you."

According to an official statement, the Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project has been envisaged as a 111 km expressway between Bangalore and Mysore, a 41 km Peripheral road and a 9.8 km Link road connecting Bangalore to the expressway. The project is an integrated infrastructure corridor consisting of five townships along the expressway.

The five townships are the Corporate center; Commercial center (near Bidadi); Industrial center, Heritage center (Ramnagar); and Eco-tourist center (Srirangapattana).