BENGALURU: Biocon Chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has once again expressed her dissatisfaction over Bengaluru’s failing infrastructure. The controversy erupted after an overseas business visitor from China, who visited Biocon Park, complained about the city’s poor roads and garbage-strewn streets.
Taking to the microblogging platform X, Shaw tagged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Ministers DK Shivakumar and Priyank Kharge, urging immediate action.
"I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said, ‘Why are the roads so bad, and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the Government want to support investment? I have just come from China and can’t understand why India can’t get its act together, especially when the winds are favourable?’ @siddaramaiah @DKShivakumar @PriyankKharge," Shaw wrote.
The post has gone viral since Monday, with over 657K views. Some of her followers on X pointed out that the same problem of bad roads has persisted in Gurgaon for years.
Responding to one such post, Shaw wrote, “It’s the same problem across the country. But at least we should show the way for world-class infrastructure.”
Another follower tagged her, asking for her reaction to the Palava Flyover in Mumbai, which was shut for traffic barely a week after its inauguration. The Biocon founder replied, “No accountability for the shoddy work by contractors.”
In response to Shaw’s criticism, Information and Biotechnology Minister Priyank Kharge said, “I am not sure which part of Bengaluru they have seen. As I have said, the work is in progress. We are growing at a rapid pace, and whatever is necessary for infrastructure improvement, we are doing it.”
Kharge’s cabinet colleague, Industries Minister MB Patil, took a dig at Shaw’s post, stating that it was “not in good taste”. He said that criticising something on which work is already ongoing “is not in good taste.” The minister further said that pothole issues are being attended to, and that thousands of crores have been allocated for the work, which is currently underway. “When the work is going on, tweeting it again is not in good taste,” the minister stressed.
Upping his criticism, Patil remarked, “Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw needn’t panic. Let her take up some work under CSR in her area.” The minister also blamed the pothole mess on the previous BJP government.
Patil further stated that hardly five per cent of Karnataka residents go to other Indian states for opportunities. He added that the pressure on Bengaluru’s infrastructure has escalated because people from other states such as Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh are moving to Bengaluru for IT jobs, buying flats and cars. “Still, Karnataka is not shying away from its responsibility,” he said.
Amid recent concerns over the logistics firm BlackBuck moving out of Outer Ring Road citing traffic congestion and bad roads, Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh had reportedly invited the company to shift operations to AP. However, Patil maintained that Bengaluru continues to provide the best ecosystem and talent pool, asserting there is “no question of any firm leaving the city.”
