SC fiat to Karnataka on Infrastructure project

New Delhi, Jan 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court today directedKarnataka government to ensure implementation of theBangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Project (BMICP) whichenvisages creation of five satellite townships by a privatedeveloper at a cost of over Rs 2,500 crore.

Besides creating huge infrastructural facilities, thecorridor would reduce the travel time between Bangalore andMysore to 90 minutes as against the existing four hours byroad.

The apex court said the project shall be implementedwithin the "framework of agreement" signed by the stategovernment with the developer Nandi Infrastructure CorridorEnterprises (NICE).

A three-judge special bench of justices V S Sirpurkar,R M Lodha and T S Thakur in an order also asked the KarnatakaHigh Court to club the 80-odd cases challenging the acqusitionof private land pending before different benches before adivision bench and dispose it off within four months.

The apex court also recorded the undertaking given bysenior Counsel Dushayant Dave on behalf of NICE that thecompany will not demand an inch more than 20,193 acres of landoriginally alloted to it under the agreement.

The Bench said the state government should implementthe project strictly in true letter and spirit of theFramework Agreement.