Edited By: Oindrila Mukherjee
Last Updated: March 16, 2023, 22:23 IST
Protesters gathered in massive numbers on the Kanaminike toll plaza on the Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway whereas expressing outrage in opposition to the ruling BJP authorities in Karnataka. (Image: News18)
The Congress, JD(S) and different organisations have been staging protests on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway over excessive toll charge and incomplete work, in addition to lack of primary facilities
Protests in opposition to the central and state governments over incomplete work and excessive toll costs on the newly inaugurated Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway continued on Thursday, as JD(S) staff gathered in massive numbers on the Kanaminike toll plaza. Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai downplayed the problems by calling it “politically motivated”.
Led by former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy’s son Nikhil Kumaraswamy, JD(S) staff displayed a collection of images of incomplete service roads and expressed their outrage in opposition to the ruling BJP authorities within the state.
Nikhil mentioned the expressway was just for the wealthy and inaugurated in a rush due to the upcoming meeting elections. “Honourable PM (Narendra Modi) came and opened the toll; they are collecting toll but the service road is not open yet and there are technical glitches. There are no primary healthcare centres, there’s no hospital or toilet for 120 km, which should have been opened according to rules set by the NHAI (National Highways Authority of India). The inauguration (of the expressway) is definitely politically motivated; it is still not ready. The toll is a big burden for the people of Karnataka. We are raising a voice on behalf of the people. They have made it clear that the road is only for the rich, it’s not for farmers or students but only for the rich. The CM and central government is answerable to people,” he informed CNN-News18.
Bommai, in the meantime, mentioned the problem was being politicised and other people weren’t against utilizing the expressway. He additionally introduced within the Congress and slammed state president DK Shivakumar.
“People are not opposing it; this is being politicised, especially by Karnataka Congress president DK Shivakumar; the language he uses, the way he behaves, it doesn’t look good on part of Kannadigas. There are service roads where toll is not being collected; this issue is being politicised for no reason at all,” the chief minister mentioned.
The Congress, JD(S) and different organisations have been staging protests on the expressway over alleged toll charge assortment and incomplete work, in addition to lack of primary facilities like bogs, hospitals, absence of medical emergency providers on the expressway.
The Bengaluru-Mysuru expressway, which is being seen as an enormous infrastructure push by the BJP forward of polls, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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