'North Karnataka gets step-motherly treatment': Ex-Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai proposes Bidar-Bengaluru expressway

Pai has advocated for an eight-lane Suvarna Karnataka Expressway connecting Bidar and Bengaluru, complemented by industrial hubs to spur economic growth.

Updated on: Dec 21, 2024, 13:52:56 IST

By HT News Desk | Edited by Anagha Deshpande

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Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai has voiced strong criticism over the perceived neglect of North Karnataka, calling for urgent developmental measures to address the region’s longstanding issues.

Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai (Abhijit Bhatlekar/ Mint)

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pai advocated for an eight-lane Suvarna Karnataka Expressway connecting Bidar and Bengaluru, complemented by industrial hubs to spur economic growth.

"Very true. North Karnataka gets step-motherly treatment by govt, needs development: Create Suvarna Karnataka Expressway from Bidar to Bengaluru, 8 lane, with industrial hubs to open North Karnataka for development," Pai wrote, emphasizing the need for infrastructure to unlock the region’s potential.

Pai's comments were in response to a post by Arvind Bellad, BJP MLA from Hubballi-Dharwad West, who had highlighted the persistent neglect of North Karnataka in the state Assembly. Bellad lamented the lack of progress in the region despite 75 years of Karnataka’s formation.

“The region has been ignored since the state’s unification. Dharwad was the hub of the movement against British rule and the Congress government at the Centre. We united with the hope of development, yet today, North Karnataka is treated like it isn’t part of Karnataka,” Bellad wrote on X, drawing attention to the disparity in resource allocation and opportunities.

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Check out his post here:

Recently, Mohandas Pai also criticized the high toll charges in Bengaluru. Taking to X, Pai questioned the necessity of toll collection on the airport route.

The Devanahalli toll plaza near Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) recorded a revenue of ₹308 crore in the financial year 2023-24, making it Karnataka’s highest-earning toll plaza.

“No airport in India has a toll road before it. Why this discrimination against Bengaluru? Toll should be for the Bellary Road after the airport,” Pai stated, tagging Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari.

He further added, “Very high charges, and the only toll road to an airport, this needs to be abolished.”

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