Bengaluru suburban rail project: Work on airport line delayed, activists dismayed

Transport

The Railway Board had approved the project on condition that the airport link be ready in three years in October 2020.

Soumya Chatterjee

Representational image

Rail activists in Bengaluru are disappointed that K-RIDE (Karnataka Rail Infrastructure Development Company), which is building the suburban rail project has prioritised work on the other lines over the airport line. Though K-RIDE- – which is a joint venture between the state government and the Union government – has also named the airport line as ‘corridor 1’ on its website, the two other corridors are seemingly given higher priority. Activists say that while building the network of four corridors is important to solve the traffic problem plaguing Bengaluru city holistically, work on the airport corridor should have been prioritised for several reasons. It may be recalled that the Union Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs had approved four corridors of the much-delayed suburban rail project in October 2020. At that time, even the Railway Board (Ministry of Railways) had asked K-RIDE to finish work on the airport line in three years, and rest of the work in six years.  The three other approved corridors are: Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur-Chikkabanavara; Kengeri-Cantonment-Whitefield; and Heelalige-Byappanahalli-Rajanukunte.Rajkumar Dugar, convenor of Citizens 4 Citizens, said, “The peak hour traffic demand for the airport corridor is 30-50% higher than the other three corridors. Hence, this must be taken up first. This corridor also has existing metro stations nearby at two places along its route – KSR (City) and Yeshwantpur. These metro stations can effectively extend its reach to the entire functional metro network.” He added that the traffic issues in the city will also be countered most by this line as this will not only be used by flyers alone. “This corridor is not meant only for the airport commute. It will also cater to local en route commuters just like the other corridors. In the past few years, Bengaluru has seen growth in its northern part, and this corridor will help speed up economic activity where Bengaluru is expanding. Plenty of new major projects are being planned in the northern part of Bengaluru and these will get a boost.” Further, with only minimal land acquisition requirements, K-RIDE could have ensured that the train chugs to the airport terminal within the stipulated time of three years, activists say. Is the state govt pushing for a metro? Krishna Prasad of the Karnataka Railway Vedike, another activist, said, “This is concerning as all us activists were happy to know that the airport line will be made first. What we hear now is that the Heelalige line is being worked upon. So, we will organise and meet railway officials and elected representatives on this issue. We feel the state government wants to push for metro rail even though the Union government is yet to approve the alignment.” It may be recalled that currently the only non-road way to reach the airport is using the South Western Railway-run rail link which runs only five trains per day. From the station, commuters have to board a bus run by the airport to reach the terminal.  Prasad added, “The airport desperately needs an alternative to the road connection. From the South Western Railway service to the airport, one has to take the shuttle bus to the airport from the halt station. This existing train line will not be feasible for senior citizens or people with heavy luggage.” Alignment for the proposed metro line to the airport is yet to be finalised and has been pending with the Union government that is questioning feasibility for the project. Then, even in the best-case scenario, even if work begins now, the airport metro line will take at least six years to be ready. Already six corridors of metro lines (including extensions) are marred by huge delays. What K-RIDE has to say According to sources, K-RIDE is now set to begin work on the Byappanahalli-Yeshwantpur- Chikkabanavara and Heelalige-Byappanahalli- Rajanukunte lines. K-RIDE Managing Director Amit Garg confirmed the development. A K-RIDE official on condition of anonymity claimed, “We have begun work on these two lines as directed by the state government. This does not mean that we are dropping the airport line. We will take up work on that line soon. For us, all the four corridors are equally important. It is not that it is less important as we will work on that after other corridors.’

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Toyota Kirloskar Motors withdraws lockout at Bidadi plant, union to continue strike

Strike

However, none of the demands of the striking employees have been addressed, and the employee union continues to protest.

Haripriya Suresh

Toyota Kirloskar Motors announced on Tuesday that it is withdrawing the lockout at its Bidadi plant in Karnataka. The lockout first began on November 10, was briefly withdrawn and was resumed on November 23, and has been on since as workers continue to protest over workload and unfair processes. Of Toyota Kirloskar’s total staff at Bidadi of nearly 6,000, around 3,500 are part of the Toyota Kirloskar Motor Employees Union.  The lockout started because of an increase in workload, with TKM allegedly wanting to raise the number of cars produced from 300 to 360 without any increase in manpower or timings. The increase in workload, the union had alleged, was unscientific and illegal and was put in place without enough technical study and led to a protest.  Over two months since the protests began, TKM has said that after a meeting with Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr Ashwathnarayan and having observed “a gradual improvement in safety situation, both inside and outside the company premises”, the lockout has been withdrawn, and operations will be enhanced from the second shift on Tuesday.  TKM said in a statement that employees will have to “sign a simple undertaking for good conduct and report to work”.  However, a member of the Toyota Kirloskar Motors Employees Union said that of the 3,500 members who were on strike, around 300 people have agreed to sign the undertaking and return to work, and the remaining will continue to be on strike. With employees having to sign an undertaking and the 66 employees being suspended, the Union alleges that none of the striking employees' demands have been addressed so far.  Toyota had called the strike by the employee union illegal, which is why the lockout was announced, and said that limited production was resumed at the time with 1,200 employees who had signed an undertaking.   “...the company had resumed production with over 1200 team members who had expressed their intention to work with discipline, through a simple undertaking of good behaviour,” TKM said in a statement.  The union meanwhile has maintained that the lockout was illegal and has expressed disappointment at the company's unilateral decision to commence operations without addressing their concerns. "The workers were not on strike. Our various attempts to invite the attention to this issue was not at all responded by Management. We have evidence of it. The management's conditions are anti-labour and we want to make it clear, although Management has tried to ignore the Union," the union send in a statement, reacting to the withdrawal of the lockdown. The union has also demanded that all employees should be paid full compensation during the lockdown period. Further, despite the lockout being withdrawn, the suspension pending enquiry of 66 unionized employees for “serious misconducts” will continue and domestic enquiries will be conducted adhering to the principles of Natural Justice.  “The safety and well-being of all our stakeholders and especially our employees being of utmost importance to us, and we would like to emphasize that basic discipline will continue to be the cornerstone of our business principles and we will not compromise on behaviour and acts that threaten Toyota’s safety philosophy and its brand value in the country,” Toyota’s statement said.  Watch our news documentary from Bidadi earlier Toyota workers’ strike in Bidadi enters 36th day, no resolution in sight Toyota workers’ strike in Bidadi enters 36th day, no resolution in sight Posted by TheNewsMinute on Monday, December 14, 2020 Read: Ground report: 37 days in, why Toyota Kirloskar workers in Bidadi continue to protest Also read: Politics, industry, workers' rights: The balance K’taka needs to strike post Wistron

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Karnataka receives 6.48 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine

COVID-19 Vaccine

The vaccine doses will be stored at the government facility in Bengaluru’s Anand Rao Circle.

Theja Ram

Karnataka Health Department

Karnataka on Tuesday received 6.48 lakh doses of Covishield vaccine, which arrived in 54 boxes at the Kempegowda International Airport. This is the first consignment out of the total of 7.95 lakh doses that the state government is expected to receive in the first phase of vaccine disbursal. The doses received on Tuesday will be stored in the government storage facility near Anand Rao circle in Bengaluru, Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Medical Education Dr K Sudhakar said.  Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on Tuesday, the Health Minister said that the Serum Institute’s vaccine ‘Covishield’ has been approved by the DCGI (Drugs Controller General of India) and that the Union government has purchased 1.1 crore doses of the vaccine at a cost of Rs 210 per dose. “This is the cheapest vaccine in the world. Serum Institute of India in Pune is supplying the vaccine at a cost of Rs 231 crore. Karnataka will get 7.95 lakh doses of Covishield in the first phase,” he said. Each dose of vaccine contains 0.5 ml and each vial contains 10 doses of vaccines. The second dose should be given 28 days after the first dose. The vaccine is expected to generate the virus’ resistance in the body and is safe, Minister Sudhakar said.  Watch: Covishield vaccine arrives at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport “In order to avoid misuse, the words ‘Not for sale’ are being written over the vial. Health warriors will get the vaccine on priority. All guidelines will be followed while giving the vaccine. Every person who is vaccinated will be kept under observation for 30 minutes after vaccination,” he added.  Read: Karnataka vaccine drive: How the logistics will work  In the first phase, vaccines will be administered to frontline workers and the Health Department said that 6,35,986 healthcare workers have registered themselves for the vaccination in the first phase. Other than healthcare workers, police and Revenue Department officials with comorbidities will also be identified for vaccination, TNM had earlier reported.  The government has identified two primary storage facilities in Bengaluru and Belagavi for the disbursal of the vaccine to districts located in the northern and southern parts of the state. Apart from these two primary facilities, five regional storage facilities have been set up in Chitradurga, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi and Bagalkote districts in order to ensure that the vaccine disbursal occurs smoothly.

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Karnataka HC slams NHAI for bizarre claim that ‘anti-national’ NGOs opposing road project

Court

"I have never seen such an obnoxious statement presented by a public sector undertaking before the court," Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka said.

Prajwal Bhat

Image for representation

Karnataka High Court Chief Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka on Monday came down heavily on the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) after it suggested that the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was passed not just for protecting the environment, but at the instance of ‘foreign powers’. The NHAI also claimed that the opposition to highway projects was also by anti-national NGOs with 'foreign powers' behind them. The exchange between NHAI and the Chief Justice came during a hearing over the widening of National Highway 4A between Karnataka and Goa passing through the Western Ghats.  In response, a furious Chief Justice Abhay Oka directed the NHAI to constitute an inquiry into the statement of objections filed in court. "We are shocked to know the approach of agencies and instrumentality of the state. They want the court to believe that the entire exercise of framing the Environment Protection Act is undertaken at the instance of foreign powers," Abhay Oka said as per Livelaw.  He further stated, "I have been a judge of the High Court for 17 and half years. I have never seen such an obnoxious statement presented by a public sector undertaking before the court." The case delves into exemptions granted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) for the expansion of National Highways without conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). The petitioner had submitted in court that the Union government does not have the power under the Environment (Protection) Act to exempt a project from the requirement of an EIA.  The statement of objections by the NHAI filed in the High Court on Monday suggested that the formulation of the Environment Protection Act, 1986, was due to the instance of ‘foreign powers’ since it followed decisions taken at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in June 1972.  "Hence, the Act has been passed by Parliament not only for protection of the environment but also at the instance of foreign powers. And many NGOs are filing such writ petitions at the instance of foreign powers. Foreign entities such as Amnesty International and People's Union for Civil Liberties have filed writ petitions," reads the statement of objections filed by RB Pekam, a deputy general manager in the regional office of the NHAI in Bengaluru. In a series of allegations in the statement of objections, the highways authority attacked non-governmental organisations describing those who receive foreign funding and oppose highway projects as ‘anti-national’. “There are many organisations in India calling themselves environmental action groups and human rights groups such as Amnesty International etc, which are actively involved in attacking development projects and challenging government policies and notifications and doing anti-national activities,” read the statement. It raised allegations about the sources of funding for these organisations and suggested that they receive funds by “hawala means which go undetected”.  The NHAI also argued that over 20 lakh people had encroached upon reserve forests in India and stated that “these encroachers are the real cause of denudation of large tracts of forests and not on account of widening of any highway constructed by NHAI.” It further added that most encroachments are “illegally protected under the Forest Rights Act on grounds that the encroachers are tribal people.”  Following this, the counsel representing NHAI sought to withdraw the statement of objections but Chief Justice Abhay Oka asked a senior official in NHAI to constitute an enquiry into the statement filed in court and review the procedures in place to finalise the objections. He asked the highway authority to submit a report by January 31, before the case came up for further hearing on February 2.  The petitioner in the case is the United Conservation Movement, represented by environmentalist Joseph Hoover. The petition had cited a few books written by foreign authors, which included research by authors Duniway and Herrick in 2011, which discussed the impact of road networks and the need for a holistic approach and by author Sidle in 2006, which discussed landslides.  In response to this, the statement of objections filed by NHAI bizarrely stated, “The petitioner has relied on foreign authors and their books as material for targeting the respondents. It is well known that India is rising in the world economically having achieved the status of having the fifth largest economy...certain western powers and India's enemy neighbours are envious of and want to hit development projects of the Union and state government." Speaking to TNM, petitioner Joseph Hoover backed the court’s stance on the issue. “If every environmentalist is branded as receiving money from abroad and is questioned about it, this is absolutely wrong. We are a relatively young NGO. We don't have Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act funds. For that matter we don't even have exemption under Section 80G (of the Income Tax Act). They (NHAI) can have a look at our sources of funds,” he said. He hit back at the suggestions made in court describing the opposition to the development of the highway as ‘anti-national. "We are doing our bit to save our environment. To call us 'anti-national' or 'anti-development' is wrong. We are here for the people of our country and we are here for the development of our country. As per the Constitution, we are trying to save our forests and they cannot brand us 'anti-national' for doing this," he added. He added that the petition was filed to challenge the office memorandum issued by the MoEFCC in 2013 relaxing conditions for highway expansion projects.   In this case, the Karnataka High Court had earlier issued a stay order in November 2019 on the widening works since NHAI did not have valid environmental approvals. NHAI was then asked by the court to produce documents of clearance related to the Environmental Protection Act, 1986. NH 4A passes through the Western Ghats and cuts across dense forests including the reserved forest areas in the Kali Tiger Reserve. A massive environmental movement in Goa — Save Mollem — is also resisting the expansion of the highway which starts from Belagavi in Karnataka and ends in Panaji in Goa.  Read: In pictures: Midnight protest held in Goa over doubling of railway line to Karnataka Activists said that as trees would be cut for the project, it would result in water scarcity in the area. With three successive drought years, most parts of northern Karnataka are reeling under a severe water crisis. Not only this region, but the trees are also responsible for monsoons which feed the Kali, Mahadayi, and Malaprabha rivers, activists said. The stay order issued by the High Court in 2019 was later upheld by the Supreme Court in December 2020. The High Court case came up after many trees in Khanapur taluk of Belagavi were cut down for this project, leading to an outcry by environmental activists. Almost 1 lakh trees were removed according to estimates made by activists while NHAI authorities argued that the number of trees cut was around 22,000.

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New Karnataka cabinet ministers to be announced on Jan 13

Politics

BS Yediyurappa had met Amit Shah and JP Nadda on Sunday to discuss the issue of cabinet expansion.

TNM Staff

PTI/Representation Photo

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Tuesday said that the list of seven new ministers, who will be inducted into the cabinet would be announced at 4 pm on Wednesday. BS Yediyurappa had met with BJP National President JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday to discuss the issue of cabinet expansion and the upcoming bye-polls in the state Assembly and the Belagavi Parliamentary bye-polls.  “Seven new ministers will be inducted into the cabinet and the new list of ministers will be announced at 4 pm on Wednesday,” Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa said. The new ministers are expected to take oath at Raj Bhavan on Wednesday, BJP sources said, as January 14 is Makara Sankranti and a government holiday.  Speculation is rife that MLCs MTB Nagaraju and Pendulum Shankar would be among the leaders who will be inducted into the cabinet. In addition, Rajarajeshwari Nagar legislator Munirathna Naidu and Hukkeri MLA Umesh Katti are also expected to get ministerial berths, as Yediyurappa had publicly promised the two MLAs ministerial portfolios.  BJP sources said that MLC CP Yogeeshwar is also likely to be inducted into the cabinet for his role as a mediator when the 17 Congress and JD(S) MLAs defected and joined the BJP in 2019, which led to the fall of the coalition government led by HD Kumaraswamy. In addition, MLA S Anagara’s name was also doing the rounds as a candidate who could bag a ministerial portfolio as the party’s high command intended to pick a legislator from Dakshina Kannada district, the BJP’s bastion.  Party sources in New Delhi said that two ministers are likely to be dropped from the cabinet including independent MLA and incumbent Excise Minister H Nagesh and Women and Child Welfare Minister Sasikala Jolle. Minister Sasikala Jolle is likely to be replaced by Hiriyur MLA K Poornima, BJP sources said. Other aspirants for the ministerial berths include Dharwad MLA Arvind Bellad, an industrialist, who has been responsible for mediating talks with companies to set up industrial clusters in Hubballi-Dharwad, Yadgiri and Koppal districts. 

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IPS officer Nimbalkar transferred again amid Bengaluru’s Safe City Project row

Controversy

Hemanth Nimbalkar received the second transfer order in a row since his public row with IPS Officer D Roopa over Safe City Project in Bengaluru.

TNM Staff

Twitter

IPS Officer Hemanth Nimbalkar, who has been embroiled in a series of controversies, has once again been transferred. He will take charge as the Inspector General of Police, Directorate of Civil Rights Enforcement, with immediate effect, on January 11, until further notice. It was only on December 31, 2020, that Nimbalkar was transferred to the post of Inspector General of Police, Internal Security Division in Bengaluru.  In the wake of a raging controversy surrounding the Safe City Project for Bengaluru and the open rift between senior IPS officers D Roopa and Hemant Nimbalkar, the two were allocated new postings by the Karnataka Government. Roopa, the first woman Home Secretary in the state, was posted as the Managing Director of Karnataka State Handicrafts Development Corporation Ltd, Bengaluru. According to the earlier transfer order, Nimbalkar, who was the Additional Commissioner (Administration), Bengaluru, was shifted to the Internal Security Department, Bengaluru.  Also Read: IPS officers D Roopa and Hemant Nimbalkar transferred by Karnataka govt after public row The tendering process of the multi-crore Bengaluru Safe City Project had exposed rifts in the top IAS/IPS circle in Karnataka over alleged double standards in dealing with corruption charges. Roopa and Nimbalkar publicly exchanged allegations of misconduct regarding the project. Also Read: IPS officers Roopa and Nimbalkar in war of words over tender process in Bengaluru Safe City project Roopa suspected that Nimbalkar, being the chief of the tendering committee, was favouring a particular committee, thus violating norms. Nimbalkar, on the other hand, had alleged that Roopa, as the Home Secretary, was interfering with the process without any authority. However, Roopa maintained the stance that she was made part of the decision-making process by the Chief Secretary himself. Also Read: IPS officer in Bengaluru under scrutiny for allegedly 'interfering' in safe city project In a letter she wrote to Chief Secretary Vijaya Bhaskar, Roopa also alleged that while the Home Department had started a prompt inquiry against a “false and motivated” complaint against her, it hesitated to do the same against Nimbalkar in spite of CBI's sanction of the prosecution that they sought months ago. The letter mentions that the CBI sought sanction to prosecute five police officers, including Nimbalkar, in September 2020. Also Read: Roopa IPS accuses Nimbalkar IPS of making ‘fake and motivated’ complaint against her In 2009, IPS officer Hemanth Nimbalkar was also alleged to be a part of a small club of four IPS officers that was raided by the Lok Ayukta for possessing assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. P Kempiah, Srikantappa and MC Narayana Gowda were the other three officers who were investigated.      

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Vivek Oberoi’s brother-in-law Aditya Alva arrested in Sandalwood drugs case

Crime

Aditya Alva had been absconding ever since he was booked by the Bengaluru police as a prime accused in the Sandalwood drugs case.

TNM Staff

In a fresh development in the Sandalwood drugs case, actor Vivek Oberoi’s brother-in-law Aditya Alva was arrested by officials of the Bengaluru crime branch from Chennai on Monday night. Aditya, who is the son of late Janata Party leader Jeevaraj Alva, is accused number six in the Sandalwood drug case and had been absconding for months. “Aditya Alva, who was absconding for over four months was arrested on Monday night. We were involved in a continuous operation to arrest him. We received a tip that he was in Chennai after which a team arrested him,” Joint Commission of Police (Crime-1), Sandeep Patil told TNM. Aditya Alva was arrested from a resort located between Chennai and Mahabalipuram. CCB sources said that the investigators were tracking mobile phone locations of persons close to Aditya Alva and that they had compiled a list of people, who he was in contact with regularly. Sources said CCB Inspector Puneet received information of his whereabouts after which an operation to arrest him was planned and carried out.  The Central Crime Branch (CCB) sleuths have brought Aditya Alva to Bengaluru and he is currently being questioned at the CCB’s office in Chamarajpet in Bengaluru. Police sources said that he would be produced before the special court for NDPS (Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances) cases later in the day.  Aditya has been accused of hosting parties at his farmhouse in the outskirts of Bengaluru, and police suspect that banned and narcotic drugs were supplied and consumed during the parties. The police had been looking for Aditya for over four months now.  CCB sources had earlier revealed that Aditya Alva and one of the prime accused in the case, party organiser Viren Khanna, had allegedly hosted parties together. While Aditya is accused of providing space for the parties at his resort House of Life in Hebbal, the CCB claimed that Viren Khanna was involved in organising and driving high-profile persons to these parties. The CCB had earlier in September conducted a search operation at House of Life and seized several documents.  Aditya’s sister Priyanka had also earlier been summoned by the police in connection with Aditya’s location. However, Priyanka failed to acknowledge the summons and did not appear before the CCB. Aditya was among the 17 people who are booked in the case in which actors Ragini Dwivedi and Sanjjanaa Galrani have been arrested. Three weeks ago, the Supreme Court denied Aditya Alva’s plea to quash the FIR registered against him at the Cottonpet Police Station in connection with the drug case. The apex court also denied Alva’s plea to procure anticipatory bail. Aditya’s legal counsel Nishanth Patil had earlier filed an anticipatory bail plea in the Karnataka High Court, which was also denied.  The Kannada film industry has been under the scanner of the police for drug-related offences after the police and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) nabbed an international drug trafficking racket in multi-city raids in August 2020.  

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