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'Terrible governance': Mohandas Pai on Bengaluru's rankings at Swachh Survekshan 2025
Bengaluru's ranking as the fifth dirtiest city in India at the Swachh Survekshan 2025 survey sparked backlash from prominent figures like TV Mohandas Pai.
Former Infosys CFO TV Mohandas Pai has spoken out on Bengaluru's rankings at the Swachh Survekshan 2025 survey and awards, strongly criticizing the local government for the city's cleanliness after it was listed amongst the bottom five major Indian cities.
READ | Bengaluru ranked fifth dirtiest among major Indian cities in Swachh Survekshan 2025
The latest survey saw Bengaluru join Ranchi, Chennai, Ludhiana, and Madurai in the category of the dirtiest cities. This outcome prompted a sharp rebuke from prominent voices, including Mohandas Pai, who in his remarks expressed regret over the state of cleanliness in Bengaluru, calling it a “big shame” for both the city and Karnataka.
“A big shame for Bengaluru and Karnataka. We have a city corporation @BBMPCOMM @BBMPofficial and govt @CMofKarnataka @siddaramaiah @DKShivakumar which cannot even keep the city clean! Terrible governance,” he wrote on social media site X, triggering a fresh discussion on civic apathy.
“In 2015 we were 15th cleanest city in the country. We can feel where it stands now, so these results are no surprise,” a user replied, while another said, “The entire city is a dump yard.”
While Bengaluru's reputation took a hit, several other cities stood out for their sanitation achievements, with Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Lucknow, Raipur, and Jabalpur emerging as some of the cleanest metropolitan areas, while Indore, Surat, and Navi Mumbai entered the distinguished ‘Super Swachh League’, reserved for cities showcasing exemplary public cleanliness.
“Skid game” in Bengaluru
Amid rising frustration over the city’s decaying infrastructure, a few residents organized a striking street performance, drawing inspiration from the hit Netflix show “Squid Game.” The group donned colourful, recognizable costumes and navigated a footpath which was more of a challenging obstacle course, full of loose stones, exposed wires, and yawning gaps. The residents even had to leap across open drains, dramatizing the daily hurdles pedestrians face.
Their act, equal parts satire and social commentary, was captured in a now viral video, underscoring the everyday stress encountered by Bengaluru’s commuters.
