'Looting People...': Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s Toll Dare To Karnataka Govt Over NICE Road

Published 9 August 2026 · local

News cities bengaluru-news 'Looting People...': Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s Toll Dare To Karnataka Govt Over NICE Road 'Looting People...': Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s Toll Dare To Karnataka

News cities bengaluru-news 'Looting People...': Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s Toll Dare To Karnataka Govt Over NICE Road 'Looting People...': Union Minister Kumaraswamy’s Toll Dare To Karnataka Govt Over NICE Road Published By, Last Updated: August 09, 2026, 07:48 IST Kumaraswamy demanded that the state government immediately take over the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project and halt toll collection on the road. Rapid Read HD Kumaraswamy said the state government has two weeks to take a decision on stopping the toll collection. Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy gave the Karnataka government a two-week deadline to stop toll collection on the NICE Road, warning that the JD(S) will launch an “intense" protest if the government fails to act. Kumaraswamy demanded that the state government immediately take over the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project and halt toll collection on the road.

Kumaraswamy said the state government has two weeks to take a decision on stopping the toll collection. If it fails to do so, he warned that the JD(S) would launch a major agitation. “The government is supposed to protect the people. Why is it remaining silent when a private company is looting people like this?" Kumaraswamy said, questioning the government’s silence on the issue. He also urged people not to pay toll on the NICE Road, escalating the political confrontation over the project. Kumaraswamy cited observations made by the Karnataka High Court about alleged irregularities in the BMIC project. He said the High Court had observed that the project “appears to be one of the biggest scams in the State" and had suggested that allegations of fraud and other offences against NICE be examined by an independent specialised team.

The court had also called for a forensic audit of the project’s accounts, Kumaraswamy said. “The State government should wake up to the observations made by the High Court regarding the irregularities by NICE," he said, alleging that toll was being collected illegally. Kumaraswamy alleged that NICE had violated the terms of the Framework Agreement governing the project and had failed to follow its obligations. “There was a condition that the work should be carried out according to the Framework Agreement. But NICE has not followed any of that. What more reason does the government need to take over the project?" he asked. He also alleged that powerful interests had acquired farmers’ land in the name of the NICE project. Kumaraswamy also questioned an alleged no-objection certificate issued by NICE to Shobha Developers near the NICE junction at Hosakerehalli.