Endangering Public Safety For Polls: Cong Slams Inauguration Of 'Incomplete' Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway

Criticising the inauguration of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway, Congress slammed the Centre alleging that it was "endangering" the lives of the people of Karnataka for upcoming polls and publicity.

File Photo of Congress party leader Randeep Surjewala.

Source : PTI

New Delhi: The Congress slammed the Union government for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Karnataka to dedicate the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway to the nation as it alleged that the government is going ahead with the inauguration while "endangering" the lives of the people of Karnataka. 

AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Randeep Singh Surjewala took to Twitter to share a party statement writing, "Inauguration of Incomplete Bangalore- Mysore National Highway. Publicity + Polls = Sacrificing Lives & Endangering Public Safety! Modi Government is Profiteering to the tune of ₹ 25,000 Crore in Toll Collection!".

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Inauguration of Incomplete Bangalore- Mysore National Highway 👇🏼

Publicity + Polls = Sacrificing Lives & Endangering Public Safety!

Modi Government is Profiteering to the tune of ₹ 25,000 Crore in Toll Collection!

OUR STATEMENT👇#MysuruExpressway pic.twitter.com/wtf7n7wCUg

— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 11, 2023

Surjewala said that the "BJP government facing complete decimation in the ensuing Karnataka polls, is adopting every publicity stunt to stay afloat". In the statement Surjewala said, PM Modi and the Karnataka government need to answer many questions including the "desperation for inaugurating an incomplete National Highway for toll collection by risking commuters lives."

"Prime minister Shri Narendra Modi, as also the BJP Government in Karnataka, need to answer important questions including the desperation for inaugurating an incomplete National Highway, risking commuters' lives, the brazen profiteering from Kannadigas from Toll collection, defective road design, blocking the natural flow of water, absence of flood control measures and the huge injustice to farmers in terms of inaccessibility to their own land," Surjewala remarked in the statement.

Surjewala claimed that 21 km of the Bangaluru-Mysuru Expressway is still incomplete at different places. He also said that against 34 underpasses, only 22 are complete, and against 12 underpasses, only six have been completed. The grand old party also criticised the structure of the toll and said that it is too steep and should be rolled back. The toll proposed for 118 km is Rs 300 for one side and Rs 600 for both sides for cars and as far as heavy commercial vehicles are concerned the amount is Rs 2,000.

In the statement, Surjewala also asked the government, why PM Modi is inaugurating a National Highway without appropriate flood control measures and without ensuring appropriate irrigation facilities for farmers.

PM Modi in his yet another visit to Karnataka on Sunday inaugurated the 10-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway at Mandya. Besides inaugurating Highway, the PM laid foundation stones for several key road projects on Sunday at Mandya in Karnataka.

The 118-km long Bengaluru-Mysuru road project has been developed at a total cost of around Rs 8,480 crores. It will reduce the travel time between Bengaluru and Mysuru from around 3 hours to about 75 minutes and will act as a catalyst for socio-economic development in the region, as per the Prime Minister’s Office.