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30-minute video of Colombo roads with ‘no potholes, no garbage’ fails to impress desi internet
A video of a 30-minute drive across Colombo, Sri Lanka, with no potholes, honking, or garbage went viral, sparking mixed reactions.
A 2023 video has resurfaced on social media platform X, once again reigniting conversations around civic discipline and infrastructure — this time with mixed reactions from Indian users. The clip, originally uploaded on YouTube by a creator named ‘Footpath Walker’ in November 2023, shows a person driving across Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka, for over 30 minutes without encountering a single pothole, any visible garbage, honking, or traffic chaos.
Shared recently on X by the user @KantInEast, the video has now gone viral, attracting nearly 900k views and over 500 comments. On YouTube, the original footage has garnered more than 39,000 views so far, capturing widespread attention for the seemingly flawless condition of Colombo's roads.
The footage paints a striking picture of urban order — smooth, pothole-free roads, spotless streets, disciplined drivers, and zero honking. The caption accompanying the video reads, “A man drives for 32 mins across all of Colombo, Sri Lanka and there’s not a single pothole, garbage on streets, unnecessary honking, unruly public, etc.”
(Also read: Malaysian woman bravely rescues drowning man at waterfall in Sri Lanka: 'Real life hero')
Take a look here at the post:
Internet reacts
While many users expressed admiration and hope, others approached the clip with scepticism or defended the Indian context. One user remarked, “This is what happens when people care about their city more than just complaining.” Another added, “Meanwhile in our city, your car becomes an off-road vehicle within five minutes.” A third said, “No potholes? This feels like fiction.”
However, not everyone was convinced by the comparison. A pointed comment read: “You are comparing Sri Lanka with India. Is it a fair comparison? I agree only with the lack of civic sense in Indians but still you cannot compare a small country with less population to India. I have been to Sri Lanka in 2012 and I had witnessed it myself how the people follow traffic rules, no posters, no honking. India is highly populated and people don’t follow basic simple rules (even the educated ones). It’s not easy as maintaining Colombo.”
Another user observed, “Colombo looks cleaner than most Indian metro cities,” while someone joked, “Not a single honk? He must be driving through a simulation.” Some also highlighted the role of citizens, saying, “Governments can only do so much. It’s also about how citizens behave.”
Despite the praise, the video has ignited a deeper conversation about urban management, citizen behaviour, and whether such comparisons between nations are truly meaningful.
