Bengaluru techies want new Karnataka government to address mobility issues

Bengaluru's techies wish to see the new government in Karnataka to do a lot more to address the mobility problem in the city, with thrust on easing traffic on high-density roads, quick completion of the expansion of metro rail network and deploying a large number of electric buses to improve public transport, says information technology industry veteran T V Mohandas Pai.

The former Chief Financial Officer of IT major Infosys Ltd rejected the perception in some quarters that technology professionals don't vote in elections in large numbers. Pai expressed deep concern over "growing" corruption in the State, saying irrespective of party, every successive government becomes more corrupt than the previous dispensation, and candidates of the May 10 Assembly elections in Karnataka spend crores of rupees for elections each in their constituencies.

Techies look forward to a new government which will help Bengaluru solve its biggest problem -- mobility, the Chairman of Aarin Capital told PTI in an interview. "We want the Metro to be completed and expand fast to 250 km, and we want at least 15,000 electric buses to improve public transport in Bengaluru," he said, adding that there is a need to ease traffic and decongest 12 high-density roads.

Pai said it's a wrong perception that techies don't vote in large numbers.

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According to him, every year 2.5 lakh to three lakh technology professionals get employed in Bengaluru, with half of them being from outside. "And for people to register here after coming from outside is very difficult, many of them say they are going to go back home in the next two or three years, why should we change our registration." In addition, there is a section of society disillusioned with politicians, because "every day they suffer from bad traffic, don't see hope, they don't see many things happening", according to him.

Pai said: "Every successive government becomes more corrupt. It's not one government or party or something. Every (ruling) party becomes more corrupt than the previous party because the economy becomes richer. And more and more politicians think that they have to spend money to buy votes." "People are saying openly in Karnataka that in each constituency, they (candidates) will spend Rs 30 crore to Rs 50 crore. I mean that is Rs 7,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore, right? Huge amount of money for a State," he said.

Asked if he tends to believe those figures, Pai said: "At least in Bengaluru they have to, and in some other constituencies, they have to (spend Rs 30 crore to Rs 50 crore). Everybody is saying."