Karnataka govt finally cancels Bengaluru steel flyover project

[email protected] (CD Network)
March 2, 2017

Bengaluru, Mar 2: The Karnataka government today decided to scrap the controversial Bengaluru steel flyover project that was aimed at decongesting the road that connects the city with its international airport and surrounding areas.steel

"...We have decided to cancel the steel bridge project. I have spoken to the Chief Minister, and the Chief Minister has agreed to it," Minister for Bengaluru Development and State Town Planning K J George told reporters here.

The Rs 1,800-crore project had been facing stiff opposition from citizen groups over environmental concerns and doubts over its sustainability model. Questions were also raised regarding escalation in its cost.

An estimated 812 trees would have had to be felled for the project that was stayed by the National Green Tribunal last year. Recent allegations of crores of rupees received as kick back in connection with the project, allegedly mentioned in diary entries of Congress MLC Govindaraju, had also marred the project.

Govindaraju's alleged diary entries, reportedly consisting of information relating to payoffs made by state Congress leaders to the party's central leaders, have kicked up a political storm in the state.

As the minister made the announcement of abandoning the project, a few Congress MLAs opposed the move in the presence of the media, calling it "anti-development". They demanded that a decision should not be taken in haste because of false allegations by BJP.

Responding to this, George said "....they (BJP) are making false allegations on government, they are doing it without any evidence. We don't want to construct this steel bridge with allegations of corruption."

BJP President B S Yeddyurappa had earlier alleged that those in the government, including Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, had "benefited from the project in the form of commissions and kickbacks."
Earlier in the day, to a question about the decision on scrapping the project, Siddaramaiah said the steel bridge was proposed to ensure less traffic for Benguluru residents.

"If Bengaluru people don't want, why do we want it?" he asked.

He said George was holding a meeting with city MLAs to seek their opinion on the project. Claiming victory over government's decision to drop the project, opposition BJP has now demanded a CBI inquiry.

"....finally it (government) has abandoned the steel bridge project which was full of corruption and loot. If CBI inquiry happens, all the allegations will be proved hundred per cent and the Chief Minister will have to resign. So fearing it, they have dropped the project", Yeddyurappa said.

He said the BJP will raise the issue during the Budget session of the legislature, starting from March 15. George said, "Earlier they had accused a minister of corruption, now they are saying the Chief Minister's family is involved....we don't want the steel bridge with allegations, we are here for the people. Give me evidence, I'm ready to resign and I'm ready for any punishment..."

"Give me suggestions, I’m ready to take. Those who are in favor of Bengaluru development, would not have opposed the project," he said.

Comments

Rikaz
 - 
Thursday, 2 Mar 2017

Rajesh, if you want to get a minister's like George you will have pray 1000 times....very clean politician....only states development is there in his mind....and does exactly that....

you go and check X CM Yeddi and all other his ministers...they have looted our country like hell....made our state treasury a big zero....

Rikaz
 - 
Thursday, 2 Mar 2017

Yaddi is hungry for power....may be before that his fate will also be like Sasikala of Tamilnadu..

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coastaldigest.com web desk
July 24,2020

Indore, Jul 24: A woman who sells fruits on a cart and who lashed out at municipal officials here has done PhD in Materials Science. Her siblings too are well educated and sell fruits as they did not find jobs.

Dr Raisa Ansari, who lives at Bakery Street in Pardeshipura with her family said she wanted to be a scientist but did not get a job anywhere.

Speaking to media persons, Raisa said, "I have done PhD in Materials Science and wanted to be a scientist but did not get job anywhere. I sell fruit here but the municipal officials are bothering us. We are being forced to move from here to there like cattle. Our religion may be the reason why we are not getting jobs but we are proud to be Indian. I am still looking for a job."

Dr Raisa's mother Ayesha Ansari said she herself is not educated, but has four children of whom three girls and one boy studied a lot but no one got job.

Speaking to media persons Ayesha said, "I have four children and they are well educated. I have not studied but all my children are educated but did not get job so all of them sell fruits."

"When the matter came to marriage, one of the daughters got married. Raisa and Shahjahan Bi wanted an educated boy, but they were not able to find a suitable match because of their complexion and sometimes they rejected the proposal because of dowry, so both are single. Two of my grandchildren are studying biology. They will become doctors," said Ayesha.

Meanwhile, people in the neighbourhood lauded the family's abilities. They said theirs was an educated family had to sell fruits as they did not get jobs.

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News Network
February 29,2020

Mysuru, Feb 29: Tension prevailed at Tandavaput Industrial Area in Nanjangud taluk, Mysuru when a paper factory received a bomb threat call, which later turned out to be a hoax call.

The police said that the authorities of Rajshil Papers received a bomb threat call in the morning. After getting the information, the bomb detection squad rushed to the spot and inspected the factory premises and declared that it was a hoax call.

According to the police, an unidentified person called from his mobile, which is now switched off.

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News Network
April 1,2020

Bengaluru, Apr 1: Karnataka Health Minister B Sriramulu on Wednesday said that 200 people, out of 342 from the state who had attended the religious gathering at Markaz building in Delhi's Nizamuddin area, have been quarantined.

"200 people including four from Bengaluru and five from Belgaum, who participated in Tablighi Jamaat (in Delhi's Nizamuddin), have been quarantined. Total 342 people from Karnataka had attended the event," Sriramulu told reporters here.

The gatherings organised by the Tablighi Jamaat at the Markaz building in Nizamuddin came into the spotlight after multiple coronavirus cases were confirmed amongst those who attended the event held in March.
Twenty-four cases were reported from the national capital alone, apart from Telangana, the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands amongst others.

The minister had earlier said that Bengaluru Urban and Mysuru have been identified among the prime 25 COVID-19 hotspots in the country.
Chikkaballapur, since the last fourteen days, has been emerging as another hotspot, according to Sriramulu.

The total number of coronavirus cases in India has risen to 1,637 after 240 new cases were reported in the country, according to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, on Wednesday.

The total number of active cases rose to 1466 in the country, while 132 people have been cured and discharged after receiving treatment, as of 9 am.

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