MUMBAI: Former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai has sparked fresh debate over Mumbai’s infrastructure after criticising the condition of roads and civic works in Andheri, saying Indian cities often showcase “world-class buildings” alongside “third-class roads and footpaths.”Pai, in a post on X, said he was “totally shocked” by the condition of roads in Andheri and described the city’s public infrastructure as a “disaster driven by deep corruption”.“Was in Mumbai today at Andheri — totally shocked at bad roads, huge debris on road, slow work, poor quality of new concrete road, never-ending works….”The tragedy of our cities. World-class buildings, third-class roads and footpaths in many areas. Private quality, public disaster driven by deep corruption!” Pai wrote on X on Tuesday.
Screengrab: X/@TVMohandasPai
The criticism comes at a time when Mumbai continues to witness large-scale infrastructure upgrades, including metro construction, road concretisation and drainage improvement projects, many of which have triggered traffic snarls and inconvenience for commuters.Last year, Biocon chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw openly expressed concerns about Bengaluru’s infrastructure after an overseas business visitor criticized the city’s poor roads and garbage situation during a visit to Biocon Park on October 14. The incident sparked responses from multiple Karnataka ministers who defended the city’s ongoing development work.Shaw shared the visitor’s feedback on social media platform X, quoting: “I had an overseas business visitor to Biocon Park who said ‘Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the Govt want to support investment? I have just come from China and cant understand why India can’t get its act together especially when the winds are favourable?”
