Withdraw nod to collect toll on NICE road, Gowda urges CM

Gowda said that toll collection along the route had continued despite a House committee report against the collection of toll by the company

Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, on Sunday, accused Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) of various irregularities, alleging that tolls for the road were increased without government permission.

In a letter to the CM, Gowda has urged the government to cancel the Cabinet approval, which permitted it to collect tolls along NICE Road.

Gowda said that toll collection along the route had continued despite a House committee report against the collection of tolls by the company.

"The firm has unilaterally increased the toll in violation of all norms," he said.

Noting that the issue was taken up for discussion during the recent legislative session, he rued that the ministers did not provide answers to questions on the issue raised in the Legislative Council.

The letter to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, dated February 6, 2022, has urged the government to "cancel the Cabinet approval dated 02.11.2002" for toll collection till the company "fulfilled its obligation to convert the toll road to rigid pavement in accordance with the technical requirements," Gowda said.

Commenting on the transfer of land from NICE to Namma Metro, the former PM called upon the government to cancel the sale deed of 41 acres of land at Komanaghatta village.

The land, which was originally acquired by the Karnataka Industrial Area Development Board, was sold to NICE for Rs 14 crore.

"The same patch of land is now being sold to Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation Limited for Rs 100 crore," he said, alleging that the original owners of the plot of land were yet to be compensated.

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