Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar meets business leaders after criticism on Bengaluru civic issues
The meeting came days after corporate leaders publicly criticised Bengaluru’s crumbling roads, traffic congestion, and inadequate civic services.
Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Saturday hosted leading industry figures, including Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai, at a dinner meeting in Bengaluru to discuss solutions for the city’s deteriorating civic infrastructure.
The engagement came days after both corporate leaders publicly criticised Bengaluru’s crumbling roads, traffic congestion, and inadequate civic services.
Shivakumar, who introduced the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) to streamline civic administration, sought inputs from the leaders on improving urban management.
“I met Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, TV Mohandas Pai, and others with my officials to seek their suggestions for improving Bengaluru. They have grown up here and understand the city’s potential. Unlike cities like Mumbai or Chennai, where criticism often remains local, anything concerning Bengaluru quickly becomes global news. We have requested them to join hands and work together with the government,” Shivakumar said on Sunday.
He added that meetings with stakeholders regarding the Outer Ring Road (ORR) would be held and that a detailed plan would be prepared ahead of the upcoming Tech Summit.
Pai lauded Shivakumar’s efforts on X (formerly Twitter), describing the GBA as a transformative step for urban governance. “The deputy chief minister’s approach to meeting citizens, understanding their issues, and finding solutions reflects true political leadership. You have completed the largest urban reform for any Indian city in decades by creating GBA! We look to the future with hope,” Pai wrote, tagging fellow leaders Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw and R.K. Misra. He dismissed recent public debates about Karnataka’s identity as the “ranting of bigoted minds trying to divide people,” urging others to ignore them.
Mazumdar-Shaw also commented on X after the meeting, calling the discussions “very constructive” and outlining a joint action plan to address critical infrastructure challenges. “We had a very constructive meeting with Deputy CM DK Shivakumar to agree to an action plan to fix key infra bottlenecks in roads, ORR, PRR, drainage, traffic, and garbage,” she wrote.
Those privy to the meeting said the discussions focused on addressing pressing urban challenges, including road repair, potholes, traffic management, waste disposal, and the operational issues surrounding the Outer Ring Road. Innovative and scientific methods to enhance road durability and reduce maintenance delays were also discussed.
The GBA, introduced by Shivakumar, is intended to decentralise city management, strengthen coordination among civic agencies, and accelerate stalled infrastructure projects. For Bengaluru, which has long struggled with traffic, poor road quality, and fragmented civic services, the initiative aims to provide a structural framework to improve accountability and responsiveness.
Officials present at the meeting said Shivakumar emphasised the importance of communicating the government’s ongoing efforts to the public, noting that social media criticism and impatience often overshadowed progress. He encouraged the industry leaders to collaborate with the government to ensure timely execution of reforms.
