Kumaraswamy Meets Farmers Who Lost Land For NICE Project In Bengaluru

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday met farmers and other people who lost their land for the Bengaluru-Mysuru Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC), popularly known as the NICE project. Kumaraswamy travelled to four locations, beginning at Madavara Junction and scheduled to conclude his visit at Ganasandra, to hear grievances from affected people across more than 30 villages.

Before beginning the meetings, Kumaraswamy said he would personally interact with people affected by land acquisition for the infrastructure corridor throughout the day. He appealed to members of the public, JD(S) workers and leaders, and particularly those who had lost their land for the project, to participate in the programme. He said the meetings were aimed at receiving their grievances and discussing the issues they have faced.

Kumaraswamy also called for a collective effort by the affected communities, saying they should continue their efforts until their demands were addressed. His visit comes amid continuing political debate over the implementation of the NICE project and its impact on landowners and farmers in areas along the corridor. The project was conceived as an infrastructure initiative to improve road connectivity between Bengaluru and Mysuru through a tolled expressway and associated townships.

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The Union Minister had earlier raised allegations concerning the project and challenged the Karnataka government to act on what he described as irregularities. He has also alleged that the BMIC project involved financial and land-related issues on a large scale and has demanded action from the state government. Kumaraswamy has linked some of his allegations to Karnataka Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and his brother, former Congress MP D.K. Suresh, while the claims would require examination by the relevant authorities to establish the facts.

Kumaraswamy has further said he would release additional documents as part of his allegations concerning the NICE project. He had described the alleged irregularities as larger than the 2G spectrum case and called for accountability over decisions affecting farmers. The BMIC project was initiated in 1995 during the tenure of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy's father, and has since remained a contentious issue involving land acquisition, infrastructure development and the interests of affected landowners.

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