BENGALURU: Biotech pioneer Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, in a post on X on Sunday, raised concerns over the condition of NH44 (Hosur Road) stretch in Bengaluru, describing it as “shoddily designed and ill-maintained”.
Calling the key IT corridor an “eyesore”, she pointed to damaged medians and barricades, and un-asphalted shoulders, questioning the credibility of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its claims of robust road infrastructure.
The Hosur Road stretch serves as a crucial arterial route connecting Bengaluru to industrial hubs and the IT cluster around Electronics City. It witnesses heavy traffic, including office commuters, commercial vehicles and intercity transit.
Responding to the criticism, NHAI said the corridor was planned in 2005 and completed in 2010, and has since undergone significant stress due to rapid urban and industrial expansion in the surrounding areas. According to the authority, the carriageway is presently in good condition and free from potholes.
The authority also noted that the stretch now falls under multiple jurisdictions, including local bodies such as Hebbagodi, Chandapura and Attibele, which adds to coordination and maintenance challenges.
The highway currently handles over one lakh commuters. It maintained that regular maintenance is being carried out by the concessionaire, and that periodic renewal works, including resurfacing and overlay, were completed in April 2025.However, NHAI said it has proposed four vehicular overpasses (VOPs). One of these is planned at Veerasandra near Biocon, a key junction that often witnesses bottlenecks. Work is currently under way at three of the proposed locations.