'Be ashamed, Bengaluru': Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw compares city's streets to Ecuador's
What's the story
Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw has come down heavily on the infrastructure of Bengaluru. Taking to X, she shared a video of the pristine roads of San Cristobal Island in Ecuador, comparing it to the IT hub "Bengaluru, hang your head in shame," she wrote, even tagging Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike's Special Commissioner in the post.
Public reactions
Social media users respond to Mazumdar-Shaw's criticism
Immediately, Mazumdar-Shaw's post initiated a vibrant debate on social media. Several users echoed her views regarding the state of infrastructure in Bengaluru. One mentioned the bad condition of Jigani Link Road near Biocon and asked why this couldn't be fixed considering Mazumdar-Shaw's proximity with top officials. Another said businesses should be moved to districts to decongest Tier 1 cities like Bengaluru, and quality healthcare and education facilities should be made available in every district.
Twitter Post
Watch her video here
Clean and well designed streets in San Cristobal island in Ecuador. Bengaluru hang your head in shame @BBMPSWMSplComm pic.twitter.com/Aqcl11Up8a
— Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw (@kiranshaw) March 26, 2025
Counterarguments
Critics argue population density is to blame for infrastructure issues
However, not everyone agreed with Mazumdar-Shaw's comparison of Bengaluru to Ecuador. One user defended that while they understood her point, the real culprit of Bengaluru's urban problems was overpopulation. Improvements, they said, would only be seen in the next century when the population began to decline. Another user wrote, "Just visit Mysore, Indore. Surat, Rajkot to make the point! Ecuador is too far."