‘Why are roads so bad?’: Biocon founder Kiran Majumdar Shaw shares foreign visitor’s blunt critique of Bengaluru infra

Biocon founder Kiran Majumdar Shaw

Biocon founder Kiran Majumdar Shaw on Monday shared an awkward experience she had with an international business visitor at her Biocon Park office in Bengaluru.

According to Shaw, the visitor expressed surprise and disappointment at the condition of the city’s roads and the amount of garbage in public areas. “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?” the visitor allegedly said.

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 Govt want to support investment? I have just come from China and cant understand why India can’t get its act together especially when the…

— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) October 13, 2025

Shaw shared the visitor’s experience on X, tagging state leaders including Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, and Priyank Kharge. The post sparked discussions online, with many users comparing Bengaluru’s situation to other Indian cities.

One user, Dinesh Joshi, mentioned Indore as a positive example, noting its clean streets and good infrastructure. “Ma’am Indore is a striking example of a clean city and quality infrastructure. We can use that as a role model keeping politics aside. Even the municipal solid waste generated of 550 tonnes per day approximately is converted into around 20 tonnes of CBG . Moreover its done by an Indian company,” he said.

In response to growing criticism, the Karnataka government has announced a new initiative called “Mission Free Traffic-2026.”

This 90-day program aims to repair and resurface around 1,600 km of Bengaluru roads. The plan includes filling potholes, upgrading road quality, running public awareness campaigns, and involving the private sector to maintain both roads and cleanliness. Authorities hope that these efforts will improve traffic flow and overall infrastructure by March 2026.

Recently, Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder and CEO of logistics company BlackBuck, said he is moving operations away from Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road due to deteriorating road conditions. Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai called the situation a “big failure of governance” and urged the state government to act.

Complicating matters further, ongoing metro construction along key routes, including parts of the Outer Ring Road, has increased traffic congestion. Even with AI-powered cameras enforcing traffic rules, illegal parking and one-way violations continue to cause delays for commuters. Residents and tech workers have even suggested temporarily closing IT parks to prioritise repairs to roads, drainage systems, and flyovers.