edited by: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Update: March 16, 2023, 22:23 IST
A large number of protestors gathered at the Kanaminike toll plaza on the Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway, expressing anger against the ruling BJP government in Karnataka. (Image: News18)
Congress, JD(S) and other organizations are protesting on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway over high toll charges and incomplete work as well as lack of basic amenities.
Protests against the central and state governments over the incomplete work and high toll charges on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway continued on Thursday as JD(S) workers gathered in large numbers at the Kanaminike toll plaza. Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai downplayed the issues by calling it “politically motivated”.
JD(S) workers, led by former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, displayed a series of pictures of incomplete service roads and expressed their anger against the ruling BJP government in the state.
Nikhil said the expressway was only for the rich and was inaugurated in a hurry because of the upcoming assembly elections. “Honourable PM (Narendra Modi) came and opened the toll; They are collecting toll but the service road is not yet open and there is a technical glitch. There is no primary health centre, no hospital or toilet up to 120 km, which should have been opened as per the rules laid down by NHAI (National Highways Authority of India). The opening (of the expressway) is certainly politically motivated; It’s not ready yet. Toll is a huge burden for the people of Karnataka. We are raising our voice on behalf of the people. He has made it clear that the road is only for the rich, it is not for farmers or students but only for the rich. The Chief Minister and the Central Government are accountable to the people cnn-news18,
Meanwhile, Bommai said the issue was being politicized and people were not opposing the use of the expressway. He also brought Congress and gave slogan to state president DK Shivakumar.
“People are not opposing it; It is being politicised, especially by Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar; The language he uses, the way he behaves, it does not go down well with Kannadigas. There are service roads where toll is not being collected; The issue is being politicized without any reason,” said the Chief Minister.
Congress, JD(S) and other organizations are protesting on the expressway over alleged toll fee collection and incomplete work as well as lack of basic amenities like toilets, hospitals, absence of medical emergency services.
The Bengaluru-Mysore Expressway, which is being seen as a massive infrastructure push by the BJP ahead of the elections, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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