FIR against MLA Harish Poonja for threatening police at Belthangady
Belthangady: A case has been registered at Belthangady Police station against MLA Harish Poonja for using vulgar words to abuse and humiliate the police inspector and the department at Belthangady on Tuesday. Poonja is also accused of leveling serious threats at the police personnel by saying that the station would meet the same fate as the police station at DJ Halli-KJ Halli, a reference to 2020 Bangalore riots.
MLA Harish Poonja had led a protest in front of the Belthangady Vikas Soudha, without taking any police permission, against the arrest of rowdy sheeter Shashiraj Shetty, in connection with an illegal stone quarry near Melanthabettu.
During the protest Poonja had allegedly said that, to protect arrested BJP workers, he would ‘hold the collars’ of police and threatened that the same fate as the DJ Halli-KJ Halli police station would be meted out to the Belthangady station. The two-time MLA is also accused of using abusive words against the department and the police personnel. During the protest, public could not access the services of the taluk office, sources said. A case has been registered against the MLA with serial no 58/2024 under the IPC column 143, 147, 34, 504, 506 and 149, the Police Superintendent stated.
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Adani Group emerges lowest bidder for Bengaluru’s 16.75-km tunnel road project
Bengaluru: The Adani Group has become the lowest bidder for both packages of the proposed 16.75-km tunnel road project in Bengaluru, according to sources familiar with the bids opened by Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Ltd (B-SMILE).
According to a report published by Deccan Herald on Monday, the government estimated the entire project to cost Rs 17,698 crore, while the Adani Group has quoted Rs 22,267 crore. The ports-to-power conglomerate’s bid is about 24% higher for the first package and 28% higher for the second than the government’s estimates, a gap that could prompt authorities to seek the state Cabinet’s approval on the tenders’ fate.
M Maheshwar Rao, Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), who is also the Managing Director of B-SMILE, declined to comment.
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In all, four infrastructure companies had participated in the tenders for the project, which has been proposed under the build-operate-transfer (BOT) model, with 40% funding from the government and the remaining investment to be raised by the private concessionaire.
During the technical evaluation, the Adani Group and the Hyderabad-based Vishwa Samudra Engineering Ltd qualified for the financial round.
According to the report, Dilip Buildcon was disqualified due to a clause that bars firms linked to collapsed bridges or tunnels, while Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd (RVNL) was rejected because its joint venture (JV) partner did not meet technical requirements.
With only two companies left in the fray, the Adani Group emerged as the lowest bidder, ahead of Vishwa Samudra.
The tunnel project officially named the North–South underground corridor, is part of the Congress government’s ambitious to ease Bengaluru’s traffic congestion by building two major underground roads (totalling 40 km) along with 13 flyovers and elevated corridors.
The project is the brainchild of Deputy CM D K Shivakumar, who is also the Bengaluru development minister.
The proposal, however, has faced criticism and political opposition, especially from senior BJP leaders, who object to the alignment that requires acquiring six acres of Lalbagh Botanical Garden, a historic green space.
As per the report, Urban mobility experts have also warned that the tunnel corridor may clash with the alignment of Namma Metro’s Phase 3A, possibly affecting the metro expansion.
