Mumbai, June 30 -- Bengaluru MP Tejasvi Surya criticised the Karnataka government after a disruption on the city metro, saying the episode highlighted a contrast between advanced technology personnel and weak governance. He characterised the situation as first-world tech talent and third-world governance and argued that such failures exposed commuters to unnecessary hardship. The comments followed reports of an evening fault on the metro that affected travel across the city.

Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited said one of the trains developed a technical fault at Cubbon Park station on the Purple Line and that operations and maintenance teams attended to the problem. The corporation added that the issue was resolved around four AM the following day and expressed regret for the temporary inconvenience to commuters. No further operational details were provided by the agency in its statement.

Surya argued that metro disruptions produce cascading problems for the urban transport network, noting that cars and auto rickshaws became scarce and many commuters were left stranded. He said that on the recent occasion some professionals were forced to secure rides on trucks and lorries to return home after work and suggested such recurring failures erode confidence in public infrastructure. The MP framed the matter as not merely an isolated breakdown but a symptom of broader administrative neglect.

He urged the Karnataka minister for Greater Bengaluru Development, Krishna Byre Gowda, to publish a comprehensive white paper within 30 days detailing expenditure on city roads over the past three years with road by road and ward by ward breakdowns. Surya questioned the Congress-led government's claim of expenditure of Rs 55 billion (bn) on Bengaluru roads during that period and demanded full disclosure of contractors, officials responsible and outcomes achieved. He said taxpayers deserved accountability and that transparency was essential to restoring public trust.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.