'Even in London, people travel three hours': DK Shivakumar on Bengaluru traffic chaos

During a panel, Karnataka's Deputy CM DK Shivakumar highlighted Bengaluru's traffic chaos, cited global examples, and discussed waste management challenges.

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar highlighted Bengaluru’s worsening traffic chaos during a panel discussion on “GBA: Transformative Vision for Bengaluru with GBA,” organised by the Bangalore Political Action Committee (B.PAC) in collaboration with Mount Carmel College. He compared the city’s congestion with global and national examples, including London and Delhi, to stress the scale of the problem.

DK Shivakumar acknowledged that traffic congestion is a global and national challenge.

Shivakumar, who also serves as Bengaluru Development Minister, acknowledged that traffic congestion is a global and national challenge, citing London and Delhi as examples. He noted that Bengaluru’s traffic issues are receiving more public attention due to the state’s vibrant traditional and social media, saying, “Even in Delhi, it will take 1.5 hours to reach Parliament from the airport, but Bengaluru is making more noise than Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad.”

Addressing the city’s waste management challenges, the Deputy CM said he has moved “heaven and earth” to tackle Bengaluru’s garbage problems and alleged the involvement of a “big garbage mafia” that has slowed progress.

Speaking on Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), Shivakumar said the new framework aims to ensure better governance and coordination among departments. “Managing Bengaluru city is not an easy job. People have a lot of expectations here. The biggest challenges of Bengaluru are mobility, solid waste management, and drinking water issues. Bengaluru is not a planned city,” he said. He emphasized the importance of citizen participation, adding, “Every citizen should have a voice and understand their responsibility towards the city, just as the corporation must respond effectively to citizens’ needs… We consult all stakeholders before taking decisions.”

Shivakumar also announced 50 per cent reservation for women in the new civic wards, saying, “From panchayat to parliament, we need more women leaders. They are decision-makers in families, they should be part of governance too.”

On infrastructure and urban development, the Deputy CM reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving mobility and public services. “We will be adding one more ward and making it 369 wards. We will expedite the 104-km Bengaluru Business Corridor soon and fast-track elevated corridors, tunnels, and road projects across the city,” he said, urging citizens, especially the youth, to participate in building a Greater Bengaluru.

Recalling the city’s heritage as the Garden City, he remarked, “A lot of encroachments happened… We had good gardens and lakes. We have to keep the environment clean.”

Shivakumar responded to criticisms over the poor condition of roads in the city, which has drawn complaints from prominent residents including former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, as well as companies like BlackBuck, which cited commuting challenges as a reason to move offices from Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR).

He defended the city’s global attention, saying, “No news comes out of Delhi or Chennai… only Bengaluru because we allow media freedom. People from other countries come here, tweet, and share experiences. Bengaluru is a talent hub, and everyone notices it.”

(With PTI inputs)