Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot has formally conveyed his serious concerns to the state's Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajneesh, regarding two significant infrastructure projects: the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), commonly known as the NICE project, and the proposed Greater Bengaluru Integrated Township (GBIT) at Bidadi. The Governor's intervention follows detailed representations from social activist Abraham T.J. and farmers' welfare associations, highlighting long-standing allegations of irregularities and potential misuse of land.
Specifically, the Governor's letter points out that a substantial portion of government land originally granted for the BMIC project, approximately 6,757 acres, remains unutilized by the concessionaire, Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE). Petitioners contend that this land may still be under the control of private entities without lawful authority. Furthermore, concerns were raised about the GBIT-Bidadi project, which reportedly involves the acquisition of nearly 7,431 acres across nine villages, threatening extensive agricultural and allied activities, including fruit-bearing trees, dairy farming, and sericulture, which are crucial for local livelihoods.
The Governor has urged the state government to examine these issues thoroughly and take appropriate action, even suggesting that the unutilized BMIC land could potentially be repurposed for the Bidadi Township to mitigate the need for acquiring fertile agricultural land. This comes amid a backdrop of the Karnataka High Court previously labeling the BMIC project as potentially "one of the biggest scams in the State" and Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy also advocating for the state government to take over the NICE project and halt unauthorized toll collection.
