Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister N Dharam Singh today (Aug 17, 2004) said he has decided to review the controversy-embroiled Bangalore-Mysore Infrastructure Corridor (BMIC) project.

Singh told reporters after paying a surprise visit to the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) that as a first step, the Government has asked the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) not to take up township projects, until Government spelt out its view on the entire project.

Singh, heading the Congress-JDS (Janata Dal-Secular) coalition Government, had to face war of words between former Prime Minister and JDS chief H D Devegowda and former Chief Minister S M Krishna, as both shot of separate missives to him hurling charges and counter-charges against each other.

As Gowda called for probe into alleged land scams in the BMIC project targeting Krishna, former Industries Minister R V Deshpande and another former minister D K Shivakumar in his 29-page letter, Krishna, rebutting the charges in a 19-page letter, demanded that the Government shelve the project and re-convey lands acquired by farmers.

Remaining non-committal on whether the Government would oblige Krishna, Singh said, "We will review the project and initiate action where ever irregularities had taken place."

"We have to look into the pros and cons of calling off the project as agreements were signed way back 1997," Singh asserted when repeatedly asked to elaborate on what he meant by "review of the project".