Bengaluru bus debate erupts as Mohandas Pai calls for private players, minister pushes back

Mohandas Pai has called for private players in Bengaluru public transport system for better mobility.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai has reignited the debate around Bengaluru’s crumbling public transport system, calling on the Karnataka government to allow private players to operate city bus services amid what he described as a severe shortage of state-run buses.

In a strongly worded post on X, Pai tagged Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy and accused the government of failing to address Bengaluru’s public transport needs for years. He argued that the city has been grappling with an inadequate number of buses and poor connectivity, leaving commuters with few reliable alternatives. Pai questioned the government’s resistance to private participation, saying citizens need efficient public transport regardless of whether it is provided by a PSU or a private operator.

For Minister @RLR_BTM All we have got is shortage of buses and lack of public transport for last 3 years. (Earlier too) Please allow private buses to provide service. As Minister you have thoroughly failed to ensure adequate public transport because of your dogmatic attitude… https://t.co/Is2FC17Z8p

— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) January 29, 2026

“All we have today is a shortage of buses and insufficient public transport for the last three years, if not longer,” Pai wrote. He alleged that the minister’s “dogmatic belief” that only public sector undertakings should run bus services has worsened the crisis. According to him, Bengaluru’s growing population cannot afford ideological rigidity when daily mobility is at stake.

Pai’s comments struck a chord online, triggering a wider discussion on Bengaluru’s traffic woes and public transport inefficiencies. Several users pointed out that the problem extends beyond just the number of BMTC buses. One commuter noted that slow-moving buses, unpredictable schedules, poor route coverage and lack of last-mile connectivity have made buses unattractive, even for those willing to use public transport.

Another section of users highlighted the lack of coordination between the city’s bus and metro networks. While the metro was introduced to reduce congestion and dependence on buses, many argued that narrow roads, overcrowded bus corridors and poor interchange planning have resulted in buses and metro functioning in silos rather than as a unified system.

However, Pai’s push for private participation drew a sharp response from Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy. Rejecting the criticism, Reddy challenged Pai to a face-to-face public debate with the Managing Director of BMTC, asserting that the facts would not support Pai’s claims.

“Our BMTC MD is more than capable of debating you on any platform,” Reddy said, questioning whether Pai would engage directly or limit himself to social media commentary. He accused Pai of viewing public transport purely through a financial lens, while the government, he said, prioritises the needs of nearly 1.5 crore Bengaluru residents.

Reddy further defended the public sector model, warning that private operators are driven by profits and may withdraw services when revenues decline. Such a scenario, he argued, would disproportionately hurt daily-wage workers and low-income commuters. “Public transport is a right, not a luxury,” the minister said, asserting that state-run transport undertakings will continue to play a central role in Karnataka’s mobility framework.