‘Improve Bengaluru’s roads first,’ netizens tell Shivakumar as he praises New York Skydeck, mulls similar project in city – Infrastructure News

After returning from a week-long personal trip to the US, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar took to X to praise New York’s The Edge, one of the world’s largest outdoor observation decks.

In his message, Shivakumar expressed his hope of building something similar in Bengaluru.

Currently, plans are underway to construct a 250-metre skydeck in Bengaluru, which is set to be built on a plot of land in Hemmigepura, located southwest of the city along the Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises (NICE) road.

“What an unforgettable experience visiting the SkyDeck in New York!” Shivakumar wrote, adding that the breathtaking view from the building inspired him and he got to chat with some of the “brilliant minds” behind the project. “I am coming back home with a lot of inspiration and ideas and hope to build something equally amazing in Bangalore,” he added.

He mentioned seeing New York City from the 7,500-square-foot viewing deck on the 100th floor of a Hudson Yards building.

Shivakumar also held talks with architect Kenneth Drucker of international design firm HOK. He has played a key role in the construction of several architectural marvels including the World Trade Center in New York, the Shanghai Tower in China and the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, The Indian Express reported.

“If modern technology is combined with strong ideas, the Sky Deck could bring new definition to Bengaluru’s skyline and improve the quality of urban development,” Shivakumar said.

Designed to boost tourism in Bengaluru, the proposed skydeck will attract visitors with features like food courts, play areas and other amenities.

However, reacting to his post on the website, several people criticised Shivakumar for his skydeck proposal, saying that basic infrastructure like roads and footpaths needed special attention, IE reported.

“Sir, why are you so obsessed with SkyDeck? What benefit will you get from it? Instead, spend that money on improving roads and footpaths in Bangalore… You must have seen the public infrastructure in New York and other cities in the US, you will learn from it,” said a user on X.

Another user, Aashrith V, wrote: “From up there, you should see how the city’s infrastructure is built. Not just how the flyover is built! Come, drive like a common citizen, and you will understand the suffering we have to endure every day.”

Shankar, another X user, pointed out, “Let’s focus on the basics first. The roads are in a terrible condition. If we can’t build flat roads that would last long, how can we have confidence in constructing such sophisticated buildings?”