CAG Sanjay K Murthy (File photo) New Delhi: Comptroller and Auditor General Sanjay K Murthy on Thursday said governance is the barrier behind failed urban mobility in the country. It is not for want of roads or rails but for want of systems that work together.“The solutions are not unknown. London, Stockholm, and Singapore have demonstrated that congestion pricing, combined with strong public transport, can reduce traffic by 20-30%. The knowledge exists. The technology exists. What, then, is the cultural barrier?” the CAG asked as he recounted how we build metro lines that don’t connect to bus networks, we build flyovers that merely shift congestion.The CAG was speaking at the inaugural of a two-day meeting of federal auditors of BRICS nations in Bengaluru, where participating countries included China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa and UAE. He said if substantial capital expenditure fails to reduce average commute times, it is not an infrastructure deficit we are looking at, it is a governance failure.“We are conducting a special audit of 101 Indian cities, assessing Ease of Living from the citizen’s perspective, across quality of life, access, sustainability, and perception. And we are auditing multi-modal transport and first-mile, last-mile logistics, in partnership with institutions like IIT and IIM, and with the World Bank,” CAG shared his work with audit heads of BRICS countries.Murthy recalled a quote from former President APJ Abdul Kalam, saying “a vision without action is merely a dream and action without accountability is merely expenditure. The accountability is ours to provide.” He said the auditors play an important role in providing useful information and inputs for effective governance.“In the era of ease of living, we must ask a deeper question: Did spending change lives? A city can build a hundred flyovers and still fail its citizens. A city can pass every compliance audit and still not be very easy to live in,” he added.India’s chief auditor said that his institution provides value-added products like departmental appreciation notes, management letters, and study reports, which serve as a genuine aid to management and keep citizens and stakeholders meaningfully informed.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosGovernor RN Ravi Dissolves West Bengal Assembly After Mamata Banerjee Refuses To ResignSatadru Dutta Accuses TMC’s Aroop Biswas Of Sabotaging Lionel Messi Kolkata EventWill Vijay Fight In Court For CM Post? | India Destroyed 13 Pakistani Aircraft | Headlines @9’Whatever Requires To Be Done’: Indian Air Force On Recent Missile Tests By Pakistan And China’Pending For Over 5 Yrs…’: India Reacts To Bangladesh’s ‘Pushback’ Remark After BJP’s Bengal Win’It Was Abhishek Banerjee’: BJP Blames TMC Leaders After Suvendu Adhikari’s Close Aide Shot Dead’No Terror Sanctuary Is Safe’: Indian Army Warns Pakistan On Op Sindoor Anniversary’Killed Him Because I Defeated Mamata In Bhabanipur’: Suvendu Adhikari On PA Chandranath’s Killing’Aap Haare Nahi Hain’: Akhilesh Yadav Tells Mamata Banerjee In Kolkata After TMC’s Bengal RoutIn Punjab Money Laundering Case Cash Bags Hurled From Ninth Floor During Raids123Photostories5 beautiful scented plants to add to your garden todayStrengths of being an introvert: 5 unique traits of people who prefer to be alone over socialisingTaking supplements every day? Doctor warns they may be doing more harm than good7 plants that keep away mosquito from your houseNile monitor lizards: How to keep them away from your home and garden8 animals that quietly help Earth heal itself8 truths about mother–daughter relationships we usually realize too lateYoung, fit, and still at risk? Why doctors are seeing a dangerous rise in heart attacks before 405 foods a neurologist eats every day for better brain healthSummer acne stages: Know when it’s the right time to visit a dermatologist123Hot PicksBihar ministers listDelhi traffic advisoryDelhi rainPune child rape-murder casePerambur election resultIndia-New Zealand FTASugarcane price hikeTop TrendingKerala CMWest Bengal ViolenceTamil Nadu Class 12 Result 2026Maharashtra Board SSC Result 2026Kerala plus one improvement resultBihar cabinet expansionWBBSE Madhyamik Result 2026Salil AnkolaBihar Ministers ListRCB vs LSG IPL Match Today
New Delhi: Comptroller and Auditor General Sanjay K Murthy on Thursday said governance is the barrier behind failed urban mobility in the country. It is not for want of roads or rails but for want of systems that work together.“The solutions are not unknown. London, Stockholm, and Singapore have demonstrated that congestion pricing, combined with strong public transport, can reduce traffic by 20-30%. The knowledge exists. The technology exists. What, then, is the cultural barrier?” the CAG asked as he recounted how we build metro lines that don’t connect to bus networks, we build flyovers that merely shift congestion.The CAG was speaking at the inaugural of a two-day meeting of federal auditors of BRICS nations in Bengaluru, where participating countries included China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa and UAE. He said if substantial capital expenditure fails to reduce average commute times, it is not an infrastructure deficit we are looking at, it is a governance failure.“We are conducting a special audit of 101 Indian cities, assessing Ease of Living from the citizen’s perspective, across quality of life, access, sustainability, and perception. And we are auditing multi-modal transport and first-mile, last-mile logistics, in partnership with institutions like IIT and IIM, and with the World Bank,” CAG shared his work with audit heads of BRICS countries.Murthy recalled a quote from former President APJ Abdul Kalam, saying “a vision without action is merely a dream and action without accountability is merely expenditure. The accountability is ours to provide.” He said the auditors play an important role in providing useful information and inputs for effective governance.“In the era of ease of living, we must ask a deeper question: Did spending change lives? A city can build a hundred flyovers and still fail its citizens. A city can pass every compliance audit and still not be very easy to live in,” he added.India’s chief auditor said that his institution provides value-added products like departmental appreciation notes, management letters, and study reports, which serve as a genuine aid to management and keep citizens and stakeholders meaningfully informed.
