Date:23/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/23/stories/2008122354770500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Government not empowered to permit NICE to collect toll’

Special Correspondent

‘NICE could be allowed to collect toll only after completion of all works’
Congress for CBI probe into illegal mining

BANGALORE: Leaders of the Opposition in both Houses of the State legislature, M. Mallikarjun Kharge and V.S. Ugrappa, have termed the Government notification allowing the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) to collect toll from road-users of the peripheral and link roads as illegal as it was in violation of the Framework Agreement.

Addressing presspersons here on Monday, they said the Government is not empowered to permit NICE to collect toll without enacting the Toll Authority Act.

As per the Framework Agreement signed in 1997 between the Government and NICE, the latter can collect toll on roads developed by it after the State legislature passes the Toll Authority Act. But on December 18, the Government permitted the company to collect toll based on the Karnataka Highway Act 1964, which they termed “illegal” and blamed the Government for the chaos.

Minister for Public Works C.M. Udasi has, however, clarified that NICE has commenced toll collection as per the amended 2000 agreement signed with the Government.

The Congress leaders were unaware of the amendments made to the 2000 agreement signed by the S.M. Krishna government.

The Government should suspend the toll collection till all doubts were cleared. Further, the toll rates should be reduced to make it affordable to the public, Mr. Kharge pointed out.

As per the 1997 agreement, NICE would be allowed to collect toll only after the completion of 41 km peripheral road, 9.1 km of link road, 12 km of Bangalore-Mysore expressway and completion of townships.

After completion of all these works, NICE has to inform to the Government and the Government in turn should call for objections on toll rates.

All these procedures have not been adhered to.

Further, NICE had not completed works on all peripheral or link roads, Mr. Ugrappa said.

Toll high

Even after granting 6,999 acres of government land at concessional rates, cent per cent stamp duty exception and other concessions to NICE, the promoter had been allowed to collect exorbitant toll rates, Mr. Ugrappa alleged.

On the issue of the Lokayukta report on illegal mining in the State, the Congress leaders said the party has been demanding a CBI probe into the issue since the BJP MLC G. Janardhan Reddy, now Minister in the Yeddyurappa Government, levelled Rs. 150 crore bribery charges against the former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular ) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy.