Karnataka Makkala Paksha member and Bangalore Mysore Infrastructure Corridor Ltd. (BMIC) Managing Director Ashok Kheny on Wednesday told the Legislative Assembly that he will complete the expressway between Bangalore and Mysore in 18 months if the State government provides requisite land and all the necessary clearances for the project.
During the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Mr. Kheny said land losers have been supporting his project and the BMIC has won all cases in the Supreme Court. The BMIC has been fighting more than 550 cases in the courts. “The project will be executed whether I am alive or not,” he said. “Ultimately, the truth will prevail. The project for development.”
The Janata Dal (Secular), headed by the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, has been opposing the project on the grounds that the BMIC has acquired excess land. Mr. Kheny urged the government to conduct a meeting and direct officials concerned to clear all pending files related to the project as early as possible.
Speaking to presspersons, Mr. Kheny said more than Rs. 3,000 crore has been spent on the project.
Housing
Mr. Kheny said the government has sanctioned 20 houses a year for each gram panchayat (GP) under various housing schemes. But identification of beneficiaries was difficult as many people in the constituency are homeless. He urged the government to introduce a lottery system to choose beneficiaries without discrimination.
K.R. Ramesh Kumar of the Congress demanded allocation of at least 300 houses for each GP to ensure houses for all poor families in the next five years.
Speaker Kagodu Thimmappa and Sunil Kumar of the BJP said allocation of at least 100 houses per GP in a year would solve the housing problems in the State.
Mr. Kheny suggested developing underground drainage system in towns and villages to ensure potable water to all households. He alleged that industrialists from Andhra Pradesh have been dumping chemical wastes in open borewells located in the industrial area of Bidar.
