- Not for nothing Bengaluru the capital city of Karnataka is monikered as the Silicon Valley of India for not only dishing out information technology professionals in hordes but also providing an extremely viable ecosystem for the industry to flourish relentlessly. As you recollect, the early 21st century saw a great fillip accorded to the information technology industry by the then chief minister SM Krishna who personally ensured Bengaluru provided all the requisite infrastructural support. Little wonder, Bengaluru caught the imagination of the big business behemoths as well as IT professionals who started calling the Garden City their home. When any sector picks up pace, the rest of the other equally crucial economic ancillaries are not left too far behind.
PC: India Briefing
- Thus, Bengaluru became the preferred economic destination for the service industry, in particular the IT and BT industries, which were established firmly enabling the nascent sectors to take off spectacularly. Of course, the salubrious weather conditions of Bengaluru always attracted hordes of people to settle down in the city. Bengaluru is always referred to as the pensioner’s paradise for a reason. As the city kept growing over the years on the back of humongous migrants calling Bengaluru home, the less-than-adequate infrastructure available started creaking at the seams. Sadly, the civic agencies and the government machinery were found wanting to offer adequate infrastructure facilities commensurate with the burgeoning city dwellers.
- With several Big Tech companies making Bengaluru their preferred destination to establish their footprints, the infrastructural requirement commensurate with the growth factor could not match up to expected levels. The biggest letdown has been the woefully short public transport facilities that have exacerbated the commuting need of the urban dwellers forcing them to opt for private transport. Such has been the clamour for owning private vehicles that the city’s roads have become a nightmarish experience for the commuters who have resigned themselves to the fact that the conditions of the commuters cannot improve anymore. The poor road conditions filled with potholes sadly expose the apathy of the agencies tasked to provide basic amenities.
PC: The News Minute
- Less said the better about the corruption that has become all pervasive and gradually gnawing at the very foundation of the country’s truly spectacular heritage and legacy. The bane of corruption has singed the country big-time, and Bengaluru is no exception. The civic apathy combined with deep-rooted corruption has completely rendered the administrative machinery ineffective. The onus is on the Karnataka government to ensure the assiduously built reputation is not allowed to be besmirched by a lack of administration. Flooded roads and localities during rains are a poor reflection of how apathetic our civic agencies have been failing repeatedly to raise the bar. We cannot allow Bengaluru to be clubbed with any crumbling city. Hope the authorities realise this.
