Long-term infrastructure plan can decongest Bengaluru: Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara | Latest News India

As Bengaluru continues to grapple with traffic congestion, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara in an interview to Hindustan Times, defended the government’s efforts, emphasising that infrastructure, not policing, is the root cause of Bengaluru’s traffic woes and that long-term planning is necessary.

He dismissed the BJP’s accusations of selective policing in the Udayagiri police station violence case and said that the law enforcement acted swiftly in the matter. He also defended the micro-loan ordinance, saying that stricter penalties are required to curb coercion by lenders.

Excepts from the interview:

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar’s recent comment that even god cannot fix Bengaluru traffic has drawn criticism. You defended his remarks, but doesn’t this send a message that the city’s traffic issue is being downplayed?

I am not aware of the exact context in which he made that statement, as I have not discussed it with him. However, traffic congestion is indeed a challenge. Globally, the average speed in metropolitan cities is similar — some are faster, some are slower. Compared to Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, Bengaluru is relatively manageable, though we acknowledge that the situation is far from ideal.

The core issue is infrastructure, not policing. Bengaluru has 1.4 crore vehicles on the road daily, and managing this requires better urban planning. Successive governments over the past 50 years have failed to adequately develop infrastructure. The only significant improvements came during SM Krishna’s tenure with the construction of a few flyovers. Now, discussions are on about underground road networks and other solutions.

However, the long-term strategy should focus on decongesting the central business district by developing satellite towns like Tumakuru and Ramanagara. Cities like New York, Tokyo, and Kuala Lumpur have successfully implemented such models. For instance, in Malaysia, administrative functions have been relocated to Putrajaya, improving overall city traffic.

The recent incidents of violence at the Udayagiri police station have sparked controversy. The BJP alleges that there is a lack of interest in prosecuting certain communities and that police have taken a lax approach. How do you respond?

Police do not function based on community or religion. Their duty is to maintain law and order and ensure peace and harmony in society. They follow established laws and procedures in handling such situations. In this particular case, the violence escalated suddenly with people gathering and throwing stones. Police acted immediately, took control of the situation, and managed it effectively. It is not a case of police failure.

Unfortunately, the opposition is now trying to politicise the incident, which is not appropriate. The law enforcement agencies have done their job — arrests have been made, cases have been filed, and FIRs (first information reports) registered. The BJP is attempting to take advantage of the situation for political gains. If you analyse the law and order situation over the past two years, barring two or three minor incidents, there has been no large-scale communal violence. Festivals — whether Hindu or Muslim — have been conducted peacefully. Crime data also shows a decline in incidents such as murder compared to previous years. Police have been effective in maintaining overall law and order.

Regarding the ordinance on micro-loans, concerns have been raised by the money-lending industry that such stringent measures can harm the economy. How do you address this?

Police have a limited role in this matter. They step in only when criminal elements are involved — such as when micro-finance companies use coercive tactics, lock up houses, or creates extreme situations leading to suicides. The objective of amending the law was to create a deterrent.

We have increased the punishment from three years to five years and raised fines from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh. These changes aim to ensure that both lenders and borrowers operate within a fair and regulated system. The ordinance was necessary because the assembly was not in session, and we could not wait for two months to introduce the legislation. Now that it has been signed, we will present it before the House.

A committee was formed to investigate alleged financial mismanagement by the previous BJP government. It was alleged to be a reaction to allegations against CM on Muda and there has not been any update on this committee for a while. What is the current status of that probe?

The committee, led by Justice John D’cunha, was formed to investigate fund misappropriations during the Covid-19 period. The report has been submitted, detailing expenditures, payments, and any potential siphoning of funds. A sub-committee has been constituted by the cabinet to examine the findings. Once their reports are submitted to the cabinet, appropriate actions will follow.