Union Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] leader H.D. Kumaraswamy on Saturday, 8 August called on motorists across Bengaluru to stop paying toll on the NICE Road, alleging that the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project is riddled with serious irregularities and that toll is being collected without legal authority. Speaking at a press conference at J.P. Bhavan, the JD(S) headquarters in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy demanded that the Karnataka government immediately take over the entire NICE project and halt all toll collection.

The High Court Trigger

Kumaraswamy grounded his demands in the 29 July judgment of a Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court, which examined alleged irregularities in the BMIC project. According to him, the court observed that the project appeared to be 'one of the biggest scams in the State' and indicated that allegations of fraud and other offences warranted an independent investigation by a specialised expert team, along with a forensic audit of the project's accounts.

'The High Court has made serious observations about the irregularities in the NICE project. The government should immediately intervene and stop the company from collecting toll. If the government does not act, we will launch a struggle,' Kumaraswamy said.

He argued that the court's observations alone were sufficient grounds for the government to seize control of the project, and questioned why the state administration had not acted.

Key Allegations Against NICE

Kumaraswamy levelled a series of specific charges against the NICE company. He alleged that more than 20,000 acres of land had been accumulated as a land bank under the NICE project, causing severe hardship to thousands of farmers — many of whom surrendered their land nearly two decades ago and have reportedly not received compensation to date. He further alleged that land acquired for the project was subsequently sold or transferred to private parties.

He also claimed that NICE had revised toll rates multiple times without obtaining prior approval from the state government — and that the government itself had admitted as much before the court. Additionally, he questioned the issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) by NICE to a developer for construction near the NICE Junction at Hosakerehalli in Bengaluru, asking: 'Whose land is it? Is it NICE's private property that it can issue an NOC?'

House Committee Recommendations

Kumaraswamy also cited recommendations from a House committee headed by senior Indian National Congress (Congress) MLA T.B. Jayachandra. He claimed the committee had recommended that the government take over the NICE project, that alleged irregularities be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and that land under NICE's control be recovered and returned to affected farmers.

He further alleged that around 550 acres of additional land had been provided to NICE, while the company allegedly denied having received it. He also claimed that the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board (KIADB) had not paid compensation to some affected farmers.

Two-Week Ultimatum and Call for Agitation

Kumaraswamy gave the Karnataka government a two-week deadline to stop toll collection on the NICE Road, warning that the JD(S) would launch an 'intense agitation' if no action was taken. He appealed directly to the public: 'I appeal to the people not to pay toll under any circumstances. Stop this exploitation. I call upon youngsters and farmers to join the movement.'

He also criticised Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, questioning why the government was acting against street vendors while allegedly ignoring large-scale land irregularities linked to NICE. Kumaraswamy noted that he had first raised the NICE issue in the Legislative Assembly in 2006, when his Cabinet had decided to cancel the project — a decision he said could not be implemented due to lack of political support at the time.

He said he would write formally to the government demanding immediate action and would await a response before deciding on the next course of action. With the Karnataka High Court's observations now on record and a political ultimatum in place, the NICE project controversy is set to intensify in the weeks ahead.