In Part I of this edition of the Urban Quest series, Urban Quest | Bengaluru: The $1 Trillion Dream And The Crises Blocking The Path, I discussed how, by 2047—when Bharat celebrates 100 years of independence—Bengaluru’s economy can reach the US$1 trillion mark.

In my piece Infra Vaani | Infra Woes Are Chipping Away at India’s Silicon Valley, Bengaluru Is Battling for Survival, I also examined why Bengaluru may soon find its ‘crown jewels’—the high-end tech industries that earned it the moniker ‘Silicon Valley of India’—slowly drifting away, first in a trickle and soon in droves.

Make no mistake: the writing on the wall about Bengaluru’s mounting woes has been visible for a long time. If business continues as usual, the city’s decline from its current pedestal as Bharat’s economic powerhouse is not just possible—it is imminent.

In Part II, I discuss the major crises blocking Bengaluru’s dream of becoming a US$1 trillion inclusive and equitable economy by 2047. Though the roadblocks to Bengaluru achieving its rightful place by 2047 are myriad, the city has no option but to remove them—one obstacle at a time.

Here are a few more serious roadblocks that should ideally have been addressed:

Firstly, Corruption

Former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was haunted for years by her infamous 1983 statement, “corruption is a global phenomenon," which many interpreted as an attempt to justify corruption in India. I posit that Bengaluru is not only the ‘Silicon Valley’ and ‘start-up capital’ of Bharat but also, unfortunately, one of the most corrupt state capitals in the country.

India’s rank in the 2024 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), released by Transparency International in early 2025, stands at 96 out of 180 countries. I would submit that, had Bengaluru been a separate country, its CPI ranking would have been hovering around 150.

Why do I say this?

There are examples in abundance of corruption eating away at Bengaluru like termites.

Key Allegations and Findings

Key Takeaway

The extremely high level of corruption in Bengaluru—compounded by the absence of municipal elections for five years and the resulting accountability vacuum—has inflicted enormous hardship on citizens. It has contributed directly to the deterioration of the city’s already strained roads, worsened the water crisis by fuelling the water-tanker mafia, deepened the solid waste management mess, and eroded public trust in governance.

Make no mistake: before Bengaluru can become a US$1 trillion city, it must first become a substantially less corrupt one.

Secondly, Choked

Bengaluru, a city of 14 million people,........

© News18