Bengaluru :Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Friday reiterated his appeal to motorists not to pay toll on the NICE Road, intensifying the ongoing dispute between vehicle users and toll plaza operators.

Speaking to mediapersons in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy alleged that the NICE organisation was collecting toll illegally and accused the state government of allowing arbitrary increases in toll rates. He urged motorists to continue refusing payment despite the possibility of police cases.

“Do not be afraid even if an FIR is registered. I appeal to the people with folded hands — do not pay the toll under any circumstances,” Kumaraswamy said. His remarks come amid growing confusion at NICE toll plazas following his earlier statement asking motorists to stop making payments. Several motorists have reportedly refused to pay after showing videos of Kumaraswamy’s statement circulating on social media.

The refusal has led to heated exchanges between toll staff and motorists, with employees questioning drivers about any court order or government direction exempting them from payment. Toll operators have maintained that there is no such official order and have reportedly put up notices warning motorists of legal action for refusing to pay.

Kumaraswamy, however, stepped up his criticism of the state government and the NICE organisation. He claimed that the company had collected around Rs 2,000 crore through tolls and questioned the government’s decision to continue allowing collections. He also questioned Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s role in the matter and demanded to know why the government had not taken steps to stop toll collection if there were violations.

PPFAS Mutual Fund opens new office

Bengaluru :PPFAS Mutual Fund has opened a new office in Hyderabad, replacing its existing branch that served investors for over five years. Located at Dega Towers, Somajiguda, the facility will function as an Investor Service Centre and Official Point of Acceptance from August 21. The new office aims to strengthen engagement with investors and distribution partners across Telangana.

Ai+ smart phones price hiked

by Rs 2,000

Bengaluru :Ai+ Smartphone has announced a price revision of around Rs 2,000 across select devices, effective immediately, citing sustained increases in component, manufacturing, logistics and other input costs.

The company said rising memory and other component prices have put pressure on smartphone makers, prompting a reassessment of device pricing. Ai+ said it had absorbed a significant portion of the additional costs but was now implementing a measured increase.

Milann Hospital handles two high-risk pregnancies

Bengaluru :Milann Fertility and Birthing Hospital has successfully managed two exceptionally high-risk pregnancies involving severe fetal abnormalities, recurrent IVF failures, fetal growth restriction and autoimmune complications, resulting in the birth of two healthy babies. Two complex pregnancies were successfully managed: one involved a twin pregnancy with Dandy-Walker malformation, while the other followed eight failed IVF cycles and a previous miscarriage. Despite fetal growth restriction and other complications, timely interventions and emergency Caesarean deliveries resulted in two healthy babies, weighing 1.74 kg and 1.88 kg.