‘Hardly a garbage-free stretch’: Author slams Bengaluru’s civic neglect, calls it collapse of urban governance

Bengaluru residents express frustration over poor civic maintenance, highlighting the city's low rank in cleanliness surveys.

A video shared by Bengaluru-based author Dr Vikram Sampath on social media has reignited debate over the city's worsening civic conditions. In the clip, Sampath pans across streets strewn with garbage and construction debris, calling it a reflection of the "total collapse of even a semblance of urban governance."

The post struck a chord with many X users, who echoed his frustration at the state of civic maintenance in India's tech hub. (X/@vikramsampath)

“Hardly a few metres stretch that's free from construction debris or garbage mounds in IT capital Bengaluru,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Total collapse of even a semblance of urban governance & lack of common civic sense will be the unbecoming of engines of economic development of this country!”

Check out his post here:

The post struck a chord with many X users, who echoed his frustration at the state of civic maintenance in India's tech hub.

Reactions from X users

“You’re pretty much defining India! From policymakers to the public, there is complete lack of civic sense across the board,” one user replied. Another pointed out that Bengaluru ranks 36th out of 44 cities in the Swachh Survekshan cleanliness survey, attributing it to misplaced government priorities.

Some users compared Bengaluru’s plight to cleaner Indian cities. “You must see Indore. It looks so good and clean. No city comes close to it. People and the municipality there ensure the city stays clean. Why can't others just copy that?” one commenter asked.

Others lamented the lack of political will. “Thank you, but who is listening to us? No party cares and good people are not promoted in this state,” one user wrote, while another said, “It’s striking how a city known for tech innovation struggles with basic cleanliness.”