Bengaluru residents rework DK Shivakumar’s cycling pic: 'Add potholes, garbage and stray dogs too’

Bengaluru residents reacted to an image of DK Shivakumar cycling, suggesting edits to reflect the city's infrastructure issues, including garbage and potholes.

A photo of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar cycling near Vidhana Soudha has sparked a wave of responses online, with citizens reimagining the scene to reflect Bengaluru’s everyday realities.

Original photo of DK Shivakumar cycling vs AI-generated version shared by X users.(X)

Soon after the post went up, Bengaluru residents began reimagining the image with a dose of ground reality. In one viral AI-generated version, Shivakumar is seen pedaling through pothole-ridden roads with stray dogs chasing him, a nod to what many feel is the “real” experience of cycling in the city.

Check out the post here:

“Fixed it. Average Bangalore cyclist experience. Minus jaywalkers, bikers going wrong way, and a whole lotta other stuff,” the user who edited the image captioned it.

Another X user added to the thread, “No no, add wet waste and garbage too, and rains leading to waterfalls next to flyovers, wind and construction debris and dust!”

A third user chimed in, “Sir, please edit the image, needs to have no footpath or broken footpaths, wires hanging from all over the earth and sky, and garbage spilled on the road.”

The AI-powered satire tapped into a long-standing civic frustration among Bengalureans, who say they rarely get to enjoy clean, accessible roads, whether on foot or on wheels.

Shivakumar had originally captioned his photo, “In the corridors of power, I chose a cycle, because progress doesn’t always need horsepower, just people power.” But many online felt the image painted too pristine a picture of a city grappling with serious urban infrastructure issues.

DK Shivakumar falls of cycle

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar had a brief mishap on Tuesday while cycling near the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru.

As he reached the steps of the state legislature building, the Congress leader appeared to lose balance and took a tumble. People nearby quickly rushed to help him up.

The incident was caught on camera and has since gone viral on social media.