Mohandas Pai Says Neighbours Advancing Fast, Tags DKS Over Bengaluru Transport Demands
Pai contrasts Bengaluru transport delays with Tamil Nadu progress.
Former Infosys Chief Financial Officer and Bengaluru resident Mohandas Pai has urged the Karnataka government to accelerate the expansion of electric buses in the state capital, criticising delays in the rollout of an approved fleet of e-buses. His remarks came after Tamil Nadu’s newly elected government announced plans to procure only air-conditioned buses for future additions to its public transport system, a move that has drawn attention to differing urban mobility strategies among southern states.
In a post on social media platform X, Pai tagged Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and expressed concern over what he described as stagnation in Bengaluru’s public transport upgrades. He argued that neighbouring states were moving ahead with modernisation efforts while Karnataka had not yet implemented even previously sanctioned electric bus allocations. According to Pai, the delay in deployment is affecting daily commuters in the city, where congestion and pollution remain persistent challenges.
Pai specifically pointed to an approved quota of 4,000 electric buses that, he claimed, has not been rolled out effectively in Bengaluru. He urged the state government to act swiftly and significantly scale up the fleet, calling for the introduction of 15,000 air-conditioned electric buses for the city. He also criticised the current state of public transport services, stating that citizens were being inconvenienced due to inadequate infrastructure and slow adoption of cleaner mobility solutions.
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The comments reflect growing public debate over Bengaluru’s transport infrastructure, which has struggled to keep pace with rapid urbanisation and rising vehicle ownership. Traffic congestion, long commute times and pollution have been longstanding concerns for residents, prompting repeated calls for improvements in bus services, metro expansion and last-mile connectivity solutions.
Pai’s remarks highlight the competitive narrative emerging between southern states as they pursue sustainable urban transport initiatives. While Tamil Nadu’s announcement signals a push towards upgrading comfort and emissions standards in public buses, Karnataka continues to face scrutiny over delays in scaling up its electric mobility programme. The Karnataka government has yet to respond to the latest criticism, but the issue is expected to remain part of the broader discussion on urban infrastructure reforms in Bengaluru.
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