Overview
- Union Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy on Sunday renewed sharp public attacks on the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) project, calling it one of Karnataka’s biggest scams and saying the Framework Agreement was repeatedly violated.
- Citing observations made by a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court, Kumaraswamy urged motorists not to pay tolls on the Bangalore–Mysore corridor, and reporters say drivers have refused payment and clashed with toll staff each day since.
- The Karnataka government and NICE have denied wrongdoing, told reporters the issue is sub judice in the High Court, and said the chief minister has set up a committee led by senior ministers to review the project before any administrative action.
- Kumaraswamy repeated long-standing charges that farmers were not compensated, state land was leased at nominal rates, the promoter invested little while mortgaging assets to raise loans, and acquired land was later used for commercial development.
- The dispute has become a partisan confrontation between Kumaraswamy and Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar’s administration, raising the risk of prolonged litigation, continued toll- plaza disruption and renewed political mobilization over farmer compensation and contract enforcement.