A veteran investment banker, who moved to Bengaluru after decades in Delhi NCR, recently shared that he was “appalled” by the city’s deteriorating infrastructure. In a widely discussed LinkedIn post, PN Vijay--an IIT Madras graduate and managing director of a finance firm--blamed poor investment, delays, corruption, and government inefficiency for Bengaluru's decline.
Vijay wrote that despite Bengaluru’s charm, its infrastructure is collapsing under the weight of unchecked migration and inadequate planning. “The city has seen a huge influx of people from inside Karnataka and other parts of India, and the investment is nowhere near what is required,” he said. “Bengaluru pays a lot of taxes, but the government has spent it on populist schemes, and the state coffers are pretty empty.”
He compared Bengaluru’s sluggish infrastructure rollout to Delhi’s rapid metro expansion under E. Sreedharan, noting that while Delhi added 100 km of metro lines in three years, Bengaluru has struggled for over a decade to match that pace. “Whether it be Metro, suburban rail, new roads to the airport—all end up in a mess,” he wrote.
Corruption and apathy blamed for delays
Vijay also pointed to “extraordinary levels of corruption” and a “total lack of commitment” among government staff. “Efficiency levels are very low and I have many examples of this,” he added.
Despite his criticism, Vijay ended his post on a lighter note: “Still, if anyone wants to invest in Bengaluru, the only reasons are—people are so nice; the bars and eateries are awesome!”
Strong reactions and political slugfest
His post sparked strong reactions on LinkedIn and triggered a political slugfest. “Bangalore voted for this. Can’t stop people from committing economic suicide. It’s a democracy,” wrote Suchit Ahuja, an associate professor. Researcher Ramakrishnan TS said the current government’s regressive policies could push Karnataka toward “absolute bankruptcy” in the next 2.5 years. Others noted that infrastructure issues predate the current administration, with finance consultant Shailendra Vyas pointing out that the previous government was led by the BJP.
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