Minister Kumaraswamy flags irregular toll earnings by NICE

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has accused Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) of collecting roughly ₹730 crore in tolls each year despite having invested only about 40% of the total project cost. Kumaraswamy made the allegation at a press conference in the Janata Dal (Secular) party’s Bengaluru office, citing a report that shows the company has already amassed around ₹4,500 crore in toll revenue. He noted that NICE’s annual toll earnings were reported at just ₹60‑70 crore before the FASTag system was introduced, but jumped to about ₹700 crore after the electronic collection system was rolled out in 2022. The minister questioned why the figures differed so sharply, suggesting that toll income may have been under‑reported before FASTag and that the state government received inaccurate data on the company’s collections. The report also highlighted that NICE’s capital investment falls far short of the funds needed to complete the corridor, raising concerns over the project's financial viability. Kumaraswamy called for a thorough audit of the toll‑collection process and urged authorities to verify the accuracy of the disclosed revenues.

Context

FASTag is a nationwide electronic toll‑collection system that replaced cash payments on many highways after 2022. Discrepancies between reported and actual toll earnings can affect state finances and public trust in infrastructure projects.