Mohandas Pai: ‘Bengaluru’s infrastructure is lagging 10-15 years behind’

Mohandas Pai, entrepreneur and co-founder of Aarin Capital, spoke to The Federal Karnataka about Bengaluru’s worsening infrastructure crisis, the government’s response to criticism, and why he believes ministers must listen to the people instead of treating dissent as disloyalty. Edited excerpts:

Why do you keep raising concerns about Bengaluru’s traffic and road conditions?

Bengaluru is suffering from the pangs of growth. The city has expanded rapidly with around 25 lakh people working in technology, 67,000 IT companies, 20,000 startups, and 52 unicorns. It has over 200 million sq. ft. of Grade A office space and contributes Rs 2.24 lakh crore in income and corporate taxes, which is more than Gujarat and Tamil Nadu combined.

When a city becomes rich, people buy cars, homes, and travel more, but infrastructure hasn’t kept pace. Bengaluru’s infrastructure is 10–15 years behind its growth. The Metro is five years behind schedule, and we have only 7,000 buses when we need at least 15,000.

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The government must stop running monopolies. The job of a government is to make policies, not run buses or power companies. Cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, and Delhi allow private players in public utilities. Why can’t Bengaluru? Democracy is about choice, not monopoly.

The Outer Ring Road, which employs 9 lakh people in tech firms, is a symbol of poor planning. That 20-km stretch has more global companies than any road in the world; yet it’s plagued by potholes and delays. Citizens are in pain, and they have every right to be angry.

With Rs 1,000 crore allocated to fix potholes, why are industrialists still frustrated?

Yes, the Deputy Chief Minister has allocated Rs 1,000 crore for potholes, and reforms are underway. But people don’t see results. When you sit in traffic for two and a half hours daily, patience runs out.

Many say potholes reappear within days of being filled, which means the work isn’t done properly. Lower officials may claim thousands are fixed, but no one verifies it. Citizens who suffer every day see no visible improvement.

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We need regular inspections, accountability, and better management. The government says it’s working, but the pain is real and visible.

A Karnataka minister asked why you criticise the government when it has supported industrialists like you. How do you respond?

We are a democracy, not an authoritarian or fascist government. Ministers are not our malik (bosses); they are our representatives. We elected them to serve the people. The Constitution guarantees free speech.

Bengaluru wasn’t built by today’s politicians; it was built over decades by citizens, entrepreneurs, and successive governments. For 35 years, we have contributed to its growth. To say “Bengaluru has given you so much” is wrong. We gave back too; we created jobs and built the city’s global brand.

Such statements from ministers create fear and have a chilling effect. Citizens must be free to speak. Criticism is not disloyalty. The government must communicate better, show progress weekly, and respond with empathy instead of hostility.

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An AI hub recently went to Andhra Pradesh. Is Karnataka losing out?

That $15-billion (Rs 1.3-lakh-crore) investment—India’s largest FDI—going to Andhra Pradesh is a big win for the country and for Chandrababu Naidu’s efforts. But Karnataka should also get its share.

We have the ecosystem—many AI companies are here—yet, the state failed to market itself aggressively. We could have built a data centre near Karwar or in Chikkaballapur.

Karnataka’s budget gives Rs 1 lakh crore in subsidies, nearly 3.5 per cent of its Rs 30 lakh crore GDP. But 60 per cent of the population getting guarantees doesn’t make sense we aren’t that poor. Instead, we should invest in education.

Our Class 10 pass rate is 82 per cent, lower than Tamil Nadu’s 92 per cent. Dropout rates are high, and 70 per cent of college faculty are guest lecturers. You can’t build a skilled workforce like that. The best gift society can give youth is quality education.

Why do only a few industrialists openly criticise the government?

Many are speaking up, but the media doesn’t amplify them. Go on social media, and you’ll see how frustrated citizens are.

Democracy is about listening to people’s voices. Citizens are not wrong to demand pothole-free roads or clean cities. Bengaluru spends Rs 800 crore on garbage management but where’s the result? Reports say Rs 7,000 crore was spent on potholes in three years, yet the city is still riddled with them.

I walk every day; I don’t have a government car or escort. I see debris on pavements, potholes reopening within days. These are not rocket-science problems. They just need governance.

My view is simple: We are in pain.

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Ministers have warned that criticism shouldn’t become blackmail. What’s your response?

You can’t threaten citizens for complaining. They’re taxpayers and voters; they’re feeling the pain every day. Ministers are not kings or owners; they’re public servants.

Governments don’t do favours by giving incentives to industries. These are policy measures, not personal gifts. So when ministers say, “We gave you so much, why are you criticising us?” it’s wrong.

Citizens and entrepreneurs—both contribute to Bengaluru’s success. The government must accept criticism, act transparently, and stop treating disagreement as defiance.

This interview was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.

(The content above has been transcribed from video using a fine-tuned AI model. To ensure accuracy, quality, and editorial integrity, we employ a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) process. While AI assists in creating the initial draft, our experienced editorial team carefully reviews, edits, and refines the content before publication. At The Federal, we combine the efficiency of AI with the expertise of human editors to deliver reliable and insightful journalism.)