‘Rescued Bengaluru From Collapse’: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Praises Shivakumar’s Road Fix

Last Updated:November 14, 2025, 15:48 IST

Notably, Shaw's post made no mention of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, though she had tagged him during her earlier criticism

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar with Biocon Executive Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw during a meeting. (PTI file photo)

Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw on Friday praised Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar for what she described as “visible change" in Bengaluru’s footpaths and roads, a shift that comes weeks after she publicly criticised the city’s infrastructure.

Her latest remarks, shared on X, have triggered a fresh round of debate among residents, many of whom say the improvements remain uneven across the city.

Shaw wrote that Bengaluru was “finally seeing visible change in cleaner foot paths n asphalted roads", crediting Shivakumar’s leadership for “rescuing our city from collapsing under the weight of garbage debris n pot holes".

The industrialist also acknowledged the efforts of the Greater Bengaluru Authority, urging continued focus on development and shared civic responsibility. Notably, her post made no mention of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, though she had tagged him during her earlier criticism.

From Critic To Praise

Her praise marks a turnaround from mid-October, when she posted comments from an overseas business visitor who questioned the state of Bengaluru’s roads and garbage management. The criticism had put pressure on the Congress-led government, prompting ministers to acknowledge the problems while urging citizens to cooperate as repair work progressed.

“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 can’t understand why India can’t get its act together, especially when the winds are favourable?" Shaw had written on her post at that time.

‘This is just patchwork’

Shaw’s latest endorsement, however, has drawn mixed reactions. Several social media users argued that the improvements she highlighted were limited to select stretches. Many shared images of areas such as HSR Layout and Whitefield, pointing out broken pavements, dug-up roads and unattended garbage piles that still needed urgent attention.

One user wrote that while Shaw may have seen improvements near her neighbourhood, “we commoners don’t see any changes in the rest of the city".

Another claimed the works amounted only to “patchwork" after months of disruption, insisting that major roads remained incomplete. “Ma’am, this is just patchwork after more than 1.5 years of dug-up roads… Please visit Whitefield—Swami Vivekananda Road and several smaller roads are still in the same dug-up condition."

Others urged Shaw to use her influence to push the government towards a long-term, citywide plan rather than isolated fixes.

Some users also criticised the framing of the situation as a “rescue", arguing that the deterioration of roads and garbage management was itself a failure of governance.

“Why are you giving credit for a ‘rescue’? There is no visible change, and more importantly, the failure to maintain the roads and manage the garbage falls squarely on his shoulders. He failed his primary duty, which created the crisis. This is a fix, not a rescue," the user wrote.

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News bengaluru-news ‘Rescued Bengaluru From Collapse’: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw Praises Shivakumar’s Road Fix

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