Amid Backlash from IT Giants, CM Orders to Fix Roads

Following heavy criticism against the poor condition of roads in Bengaluru, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered for immediate pothole repairs across Bengaluru, within a week. He instructed that all potholes in city should be filled within a week, across five corporation limits of Bengaluru.

He said that he spoke to Chief Commissioner of the Greater Bengaluru Authority Maheshwar Rao and Additional Chief Secretary to the Government, Urban Development Department Tushar Girinath and asked them to complete filling the potholes within a week. Siddaramaiah’s orders on improving the roads comes following the heavy criticism against the same by industry representatives and netizens.

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar Shaw’s remarks on the crumbling infrastructure in Bengaluru triggered a war of words between her and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. Shaw’s posts on Bengaluru’s poor roads and litter management were triggered following the critical comments of an overseas executive who visited the city recently, during which he took exception to the poor condition of the city’s roads and garbage.

Shaw’s post drew massive online support. Responding to the posts, DK Shivakumar said Shaw may develop the roads in the city if she wanted to. He took a swipe at the Biocon chief for ‘forgetting her root’. He said that he is open to criticism but some people are “doing it too much” and that he would “remain unfazed” by such things.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai also criticized the Congress government for its apathy towards the bad roads and potholes and garbage management, which made the city look unclean. Moreover, online trucking platform BlackBuck recently revealed of plans to shift its office out of Bellandur citing worsening traffic conditions and poor road conditions in one of Bengaluru’s IT corridors.

Following the remarks, Shivakumar alleged a “personal agenda” and said such criticisms by prominent figures such as Shaw were not raised during the BJP rule in the state. Speaking about the roads, Siddaramaiah said that recent heavy rainfall had led to deterioration of roads. The rains led to delay in filling the potholes and there have been more rains this year, he said.

Following the row over poor roads, Shaw met Shivakumar and reportedly discussed bad roads and deteriorating infrastructure in Bengaluru city. During the visit, she also handed over the invitation for the wedding of her nephew later this month.

The CM flagged off a series of infra projects in the city including comprehensive development of roads, which entailed white-topping works, which would help in reducing the pothole problem. white-topped roads can last up to 25-30 years.