Accountability on BMIC and Potential Meeting with Mr. Kheny

Searching for info on NICE, rememebred looking at this quite some time ago. Don't know the legitimacy of any of the claims in these websites. Certainly difficult to get info when there is no transparency.

http://www.esgindia.org/campaigns/bmic/current/current.html

Here is another link I had seen in the past.

http://www.indiatogether.org/stories/bmicvhb.htm

Most of the info I have seen so far seem to indicate negative publicity. On the other hand, I have travelled on NICE peripheral road, and it is certainly better than any other I have drivern on recently in and around Bangalore. But, not sure of the kind of politics involved.

Ravi

---Ananthram PS, Senior Citizen

Question that raises is why didn't Kheny started the work as soon as the agreement was signed with the then CM of Karnataka Mr.DG. Why did they start so late? Was there not any timelines set?

Second thing is Mr.DG nods his head to DLF group for Bidadi Township and why not to Mr.Kheny? If Mr.DG is so concious of Farmers why didn't he protest at that time?

This is where internal 'understanding' between builders and politicians comes into picture. One of our family friend had a huge old house in V.V.Puram. They wanted to convert into apartments. For that, the then MLA of that area demanded 2 flats to him to give the permission. When they said they cannot, he with held all the permissions quoting 'n' number of reasons.Unfortunately that MLA lost his seat this election, I don't know what's the status now. This is an example to illustrate the greed of politicians in real estate.

This whole real estate business in Bangalore is lacking in transparency. If you speak to any real estate agent or whoever who is in this real estate business, there is no transparency.They will do 'n' number of things to confuse you.

Lots of people became rich overnight because of the realestate related business in Bangalore. Mysore, which was a pensioner's paradise 5-6 years back has also become unreachable now due to the pseudo hike in realestate prices with  the reasons such as 'INFY' came to Mysore, NICE is going to start, double track between Bangalore-Mysore is taking place, Airport is coming up, Bangalore-Mysore road is 4 lane - blah blah blah. There were very few real estate agents in Mysore without any business, now there are 5-6 real estate agents every road all of them roaming around lavishly. Samething here, people wants to use the opportunity.

Technically speaking, BMIC is a good road with all the safety measures compared to existing Bangalore-Mysore. But, it again encourages 'Car' based travel of America which 'America' itself is struggling due to increased gas prices. Also, we have discussed and seeing daily the road rages of Bangaloreans  specifically and whole of India generally. It clearly states that we are not fit for this 'expressways' and we unnecessarily loose precious lives. We have expressway without Monitoring and Patroling. Demand is on excellent high speed rail based transit for India like Eurostar or ICE atleast at 150kmph.  

I completely agree with your railway link suggestion. But given that this road is finally getting into shape, forget all hopes for a high speed railway link - the invisible hands will never let that happen.

Reached his office through someone here who had a contact, that email on NICE website didn't fetch any response. But anyway, lets wait to hear on the date.

But I am thinking we wont do a pure journalistic job of this meeting. Perhaps only ask about the framework agreeements, why they aren't in open domain. May be just one question asking for his take on KIADB's 7000 bonus acres controversy. Rest of the time, lets ask him about how he got the expressway designed, does he plan to bid for more in the state (he had spoken of Kolar-Mangalore expresway in an interview to a Dakshin Kannada paper or website) and similar things.

On TV sets - reminded me of "if they can't have bread let the eat cake" :) 

IMHO, we clearly don't want to get into the politics of NICE.  That is treading a minefield. Keeping things fact based is probably the way to go.  I would like to understand

a. When the BMIC PRR is expected to get completed including Gottigere

b. Do they plan (by working with the govt of course) to extend the PRR till NH-7 given that they can get a significant amount of airport traffic. 

c. How do they plan to control speeding on their expressways?  As Vasanth put it - we are as a society not really ready for fast cars and high speeds. 

d. There was some talk of mono-rail, etc.  That eats into their car revenues.  What is in it for them to implement train and mono-rail?

e. Their side of the story on land acquisition - delicate one.  But I would like to understand.  Land acquisition needs to follow a principle (IMHO) which I learnt in my previous company - as much as necessary as little as possible.

Srivathsa