'Neighbors progressing fast': Mohandas Pai tags DKS in Bengaluru demand as Tamil Nadu's Vijay govt plans AC buses only

Pai criticised the Karnataka government for what he described as delays in adding electric buses to Bengaluru's public transport system.

Updated on: Jun 30, 2026, 15:36:30 IST

Written by Anagha Deshpande

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Former Infosys CFO and Bengaluru resident Mohandas Pai has urged the Karnataka government to significantly expand the city's electric bus fleet after neighbouring state Tamil Nadu's new government said all future government buses purchased would be air-conditioned.

Mohandas Pai's remarks came after Tamil Nadu Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said the state would buy only air-conditioned government buses from now on.

Reacting to the development, Pai tagged Karnataka Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in a post on X and said the neighbouring state was moving ahead while Karnataka had failed to roll out even its approved fleet of electric buses.

"@DKShivakumar avare please see. Our neighbors are progressing fast. Our govt is sitting on approved quota of 4000 EV buses, treating our citizens shabbily, making our lives miserable. Please act. Get 15000 EV AC buses for Bengaluru!" Pai wrote.

Check out his post here

He was responding to Indian writer Manu Joseph's post on X, in which Joseph wrote, "This CM is turning out to be India's best. All public transport in a tropical country has to be air-conditioned."

Pai's remarks came after Tamil Nadu Transport Minister Vijay Tamilan Parthiban said the state would buy only air-conditioned government buses from now on, conveying Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's direction that all future government bus purchases should have AC facilities.

Also Read: Tamil Nadu government to buy only AC buses from now: CM Vijay's new directive

Pai criticised the Karnataka government for what he described as delays in adding electric buses to Bengaluru's public transport system. He claimed the government was yet to deploy its approved quota of 4,000 EV buses and called for a fleet of 15,000 EV AC buses for the city.

Pai has been a vocal advocate for improving Bengaluru's public transport and civic infrastructure, frequently calling for greater investment in buses, Metro connectivity and sustainable mobility.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya also raised concerns over Bengaluru's public transport, saying commuters continue to face long waiting times despite a change in the state's leadership. In a post on X, he urged Transport Minister Byrathi Suresh and transport agencies to prioritise reliable and frequent public transport for the city.

"Should people spend their time working, or standing on the roadside waiting?" Surya wrote, adding that he had flagged the issue months ago but little had changed.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Anagha Deshpande
Anagha Deshpande is Deputy Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times. She is currently part of the news team. Before moving into this role, she worked with the Bengaluru desk, where she extensively covered civic issues, Karnataka politics, infrastructure, and urban governance. Over the past seven years, Anagha has worked across multiple facets of digital journalism, including reporting, editing, and video production. She briefly stepped away from journalism, only to realize that the newsroom is where she has the most fun. Her interests lie in tracking national and state politics, particularly South Indian politics, as well as social issues and public policy. She has previously worked with Deccan Herald, Mid-day, The Federal, and ThePrint, and has lived and worked in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Chennai. When she isn't chasing stories, Anagha enjoys long aimless walks, reading, hiking, discovering new teas, and, by her own admission, overthinking almost everything.Read More

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