Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai took to X on Wednesday to lambaste the BBMP and Karnataka government for a shoddy pothole repair in Bengaluru. Sharing a photo of the fix—essentially a loose-stone patch—Pai tagged Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, calling the work “pathetic” and a “big shame.”
The post ignited a firestorm of public outrage. One user argued that awarding contracts to the L1 (lowest) bidder guarantees substandard outcomes and urged third-party inspections before payment. Another called for penalties on contractors whose road repairs fail within five years, and accountability for civic officials. Parents in East Bengaluru lamented that even school runs resemble obstacle courses, quipping their children now question if the IT hub is truly “Silicon Valley of India.”
In response, BBMP Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao convened a rain preparedness meeting—prompted by IMD forecasts—to accelerate monsoon-ready pothole repairs using cold-mix. Officials are now ordered to prioritize both arterial and flood-prone routes and clear all pending work on a war footing.
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