Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw strongly criticised the worsening infrastructure in Bengaluru, comparing the city’s streets to those in Ecuador. She took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday to share a video showcasing the well-maintained stone roads of San Cristobal Island, Ecuador, expressing her frustration over Bengaluru’s condition.
"Clean and well-designed streets in San Cristobal Island in Ecuador. Bengaluru, hang your head in shame," she wrote, tagging the official X handle of the Special Commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
Her comments swiftly sparked a flurry of responses online, with many users resonating with her concerns while others presented alternative viewpoints.
X User Reactions
Several individuals supported Mazumdar-Shaw’s criticism, highlighting Bengaluru’s ongoing civic challenges. However, some argued that comparisons would be more relevant if made with other Indian cities that showcase better infrastructure, rather than with a distant country like Ecuador.
Building footpaths doesn’t earn them bribes—it’s too small for their bottomless greed. Tunnels, flyovers, and broken roads, on the other hand, open the doors to generational wealth for their many future generations. We as citizens feel embarrassed while venturing out into the city but our politicians and administration are thick skinned @BBMPCOMM. Imagine we're still living in a stone age whereas other countries smaller than us are 50 years ahead of us…,” wrote one of the internet users.
A second user added, “Corruption and criminal elements apart, what is the population of San Cristobal vs Bangalore? What can we learn from a place which is not even a parallel with Bangalore? Developing civic sense and a conscience is the only way but nothing new to learn from Ecuador.”
“We are the absolute worst. Not just bangalore but whole of India. Bangalore gets special mention because it collects probably 10x the road tax than any major city but still gets village level roads with pathetic infra,” said a third user.