Supreme Court stays key High Court directions on Bengaluru-Mysuru Corridor project

Top court puts on hold Karnataka High Court’s call to scrap existing framework of the long-delayed BMIC project, issues notice to NICE on two crucial paragraphs.

The Supreme Court on February 16 issued notice and stayed the operation of two crucial paragraphs of the Karnataka High Court’s January 9 judgment related to the Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project. The stay applies specifically to paragraphs 77 and 78 of the High Court order, pending further consideration.

A bench comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K. Vinod Chandran passed the interim order while hearing an appeal filed by Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE), the company responsible for implementing the project.

In its January 9 ruling, the Karnataka High Court had dismissed a petition but made strong observations on the status of the BMIC project. The court noted that even after more than 25 years, only one kilometre of the planned expressway had been constructed. It had directed the State government to reconsider the project and take steps to discard the existing Framework Agreement (FWA) and prepare a fresh development plan.

Also Read:BMIC still on paper after 30 years: Karnataka High Court asks State to rethink entire project

The High Court, while referring to a 2021 Supreme Court verdict that upheld the project’s planning, stated that the corridor had failed to ease Bengaluru’s traffic or develop satellite townships. A division bench of Justice D.K. Singh and Justice Venkatesh Naik T highlighted that Bengaluru’s population has crossed 1.4 crore, yet the ambitious infrastructure plan has not achieved its core objectives.

The court pointed out that of the proposed 111-kilometre expressway, only one kilometre has been laid. While NICE has developed about 47 kilometres of peripheral roads and collects toll on them, the main expressway and township projects remain incomplete. Not a single township has been developed in the past 35 years.

The original project report prepared in 1995 had proposed an integrated corridor with expressways, residential and industrial townships, power plants, water treatment units, and commercial hubs. However, the High Court observed that corruption, political and bureaucratic interference, administrative delays, and alleged violations of commitments had derailed the project.

Also Read:HC slams NICE, seeks fresh review of BMIC project

Highlighting Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion and environmental damage, the High Court had concluded that retaining the old framework served no purpose and urged the State to initiate a new plan. These directions have now been stayed by the Supreme Court, keeping the matter open for detailed examination.

The High Court’s order was delivered while dismissing a petition by Chandrika, a landowner seeking enhanced compensation for land acquired for the project.