Bengaluru’s startup hub Koramangala grapples with bad roads, social media outrage grows

Residents express frustration over Koramangala's deteriorating roads, reflecting a broader discontent in Bengaluru.

Koramangala, often celebrated as the cradle of Bengaluru’s unicorn start-ups and one of the city’s most premium addresses, is facing sharp criticism online, not for its tech prowess but for its crumbling infrastructure. A viral post on X has once again put the spotlight on the sorry state of roads in the so-called “Silicon Valley of India.”

Bengaluru's Koramangala roads are in shambles.

Take a look at the post

An account named Ye Thik Kharke Dhika shared a picture of a battered stretch of road and wrote, “Koramangala, Bengaluru, where billion-dollar ideas are born and die dodging potholes. Ministers say ‘NO INNOVATION,’ of course, Sir. Hard to innovate when our daily R&D is Research & Dodge on cratered roads.”

The sarcastic post struck a chord, sparking hundreds of reactions from residents who say the problem has been festering for months. One user quipped, “Maybe they mean innovation in rolling out roads for yourself every morning, like chapatis. Then you can walk or ride on them.” Another wrote bluntly, “This has been dug up and not tarred properly for the past 5-6 months.”

While Koramangala enjoys the image of being a hub for global investors and tech talent, locals argue that the ground reality is no different from any other neglected part of the city, battered roads, dust, and endless civic apathy.

The frustration over Koramangala’s roads mirrors a broader anger across Bengaluru. Just a day earlier, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar admitted in the legislative council that even his children regularly scold him about the city’s grinding traffic and outdated road network. “Bengaluru is not as planned as New Delhi. The dimensions of roads have remained the same since Kempegowda’s time, but vehicle numbers have exploded. It can take six to seven hours to travel just 10-15 km,” he said. He added that even High Court judges have complained about losing 45 minutes each day commuting from Hebbal.