How To Fix Bengaluru's Civic Problem? Kiran Mazumdar Shaw Speaks To NDTV

Bengaluru's crumbling civic infrastructure may finally receive a coordinated action plan, with Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw urging both officials and citizens to share responsibility in cleaning up the city.

Speaking to NDTV after a high-level review meeting chaired by Karnataka's Chief Secretary, Shalini Rajaneesh, the Biocon chairperson said this was the "first comprehensive meeting" where all stakeholders came together with a clear roadmap.

The Bengaluru-based entrepreneur revealed that the government has prepared a 90-day plan focused on cleaning the city, removing debris, and cracking down on illegal dumping.

What is the action plan for potholes in Bengaluru?

NDTV's Reethu Rajpurohit (@reethu_journo) speaks to Biocon Founder Kiran Mazumdar Shaw (@kiranshaw), for perspective pic.twitter.com/ATxnMgeVUn

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"We want to catch all these culprits who are dumping garbage and debris in a very illicit manner, illegal manner. Citizens also have to be vigilant. Police have to be vigilant unless there is a fear of abiding by the law. People in this city are just not following good practices," she said.

She pointed out that civic agencies also share the blame. "Pourakarmikas (civic workers) are often not reaching on time to collect garbage. We've told BBMP and other agencies to ensure systematic collection and proper dumping of debris."

The government has assured that a dashboard will be created to track civic projects on roads, stormwater drains, and waste management. Ms Shaw welcomed the move, calling it an "important development" that could bring accountability and transparency. "For the first time, I feel we at least have a plan of action. Hopefully, in the next six months, there will be visible change."

On Bengaluru's traffic gridlock and pothole-ridden roads, Ms Shaw said the problems are structural. "We have one lakh new vehicles being registered every week, 80 per cent of them two-wheelers. This is unsustainable. We need deterrents to reduce peak-hour congestion. Carpooling has failed before, but we must revisit such measures," she said.

She admitted that pothole filling and patchwork asphalting are only short-term fixes, but added that permanent solutions are now being discussed across agencies. "For the first time, commissioners have taken it upon themselves to be accountable."

Ms Shaw criticised what she called the "apathy of citizens" who raise their voices only when problems spiral out of control. "I blame citizens in a big way. If you see someone littering or dumping debris, you can't just ignore it. We are all responsible. Officials alone cannot fix everything. Citizen vigilance is very important," she said.

She concluded that Bengaluru's civic revival depends on a joint effort between citizens and the government. "If the government is going to do all this, then we better also look after our own streets," she said.