NEW DELHI: Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw expressed concerns about Bengaluru’s infrastructure after an overseas business visitor criticized the city’s poor roads and garbage situation during a visit to Biocon Park on October 14. The incident sparked responses from multiple Karnataka ministers who defended the city’s ongoing development work.Shaw shared the visitor’s feedback on social media platform X, quoting: “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 winds are favourable?”

Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge responded to the criticism by suggesting the visitor may have seen only a limited perspective of the city. “I am not sure which part of Bengaluru they have seen. As I have said, the work is in progress. We are growing at a rapid pace, and whatever is necessary for the infrastructure improvement, we are doing it,” Kharge.Minister MB Patil acknowledged Mazumdar-Shaw’s contributions while expressing disapproval of public criticism during ongoing development. “Kiran Mazumdar is a big asset to our state, our country. She has created a name for Bengaluru with Biocon. Bengaluru has also given back to her. It is mutual. Once there were potholes, and heavy rainfalls. Now it’s been attended. Thousands of crores have been given, and the work is going on… When the work is going on, you tweeting it again is not in good taste,” Patil said.The issue of road maintenance in Bengaluru has been a point of contention between political parties. Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar attributed the problem of potholes to the previous BJP government, amid growing criticism from opposition parties and civil society members regarding road maintenance in the city.(With Agency Inputs)