A Bengaluru woman has shared how a 19-km journey to catch a train turned into a three-hour ordeal amid peak-hour traffic and heavy rain in the city.
Taking to Instagram, Silpa recounted her journey from Electronic City to Krishnarajapuram railway station, saying the experience gave her a new appreciation for people who endure long commutes in Bengaluru every day.
19 km in three hours
“I have huge respect for people who commute long distances in Bangalore for work, in the peak Bangalore traffic moments,” she said.
Silpa said she had a train to catch at 7 pm and left home at around 5 pm. The train was already running two hours late, but persistent rain worsened traffic conditions and slowed down the journey considerably.
“My bad luck, it was pouring yesterday in Bangalore, so obviously the traffic was even worse, and it took us more than 3 hours to reach from Electronic City to Krishnarajapuram station, exactly 19 km in 3 hours,” she said.
At one point, Silpa said she had almost given up hope of making it to the station on time. However, after noticing that the train was also being held up at different stations, she decided to continue.
“We were like head-on-head with the train, kind of. So, we reached the station, we were getting off the cab, and the train was getting announced on platform number two,” she recalled.
{{/usCountry}}“We were like head-on-head with the train, kind of. So, we reached the station, we were getting off the cab, and the train was getting announced on platform number two,” she recalled.
{{/usCountry}}What followed was a frantic dash through the station. “We were like running with our suitcases up the stairs and down the stairs as if we were running for our life,” she said.
‘Huge respect’ for daily commuters
Silpa said travelling that day was important because getting another ticket to Kerala during the long weekend would have been difficult.
After finally boarding the train, she said the experience made her appreciate those who regularly spend hours travelling to and from work.
(Also read: Bengaluru rain chaos: City battles waterlogging, traffic snarls. Frustrated commuters share videos)
“Huge respect to people who do this on a regular basis, because honestly, I am not someone who can do this every day,” she said.
She also expressed hope for better transport and road infrastructure in Bengaluru, adding, “But whatever I complain about Bangalore, I still love you, Bangalore.”
Sharing the clip, she wrote, “19 km. 3 hours. One train to catch. And approximately 17 emotional breakdowns in between.”
Silpa later clarified in the comments that her post was not intended as an attack on the city. “Not everything on social media is an attack. Sometimes, a person is just sharing what happened to them,” she wrote.
Watch the clip here:
Internet reacts
The post drew several reactions. One user wrote, “Three hours for 19 km is unbelievable.” Another said, “Bangalore traffic really tests your patience.” A third commented, “Peak-hour traffic here is no joke.” Another added, “This is painfully relatable for commuters.”
(Also read: ‘I did not see a single traffic police’: Bengaluru commuter vents after 3-hour journey)
HT.com has reached out to the user for her comments, and the copy will be updated once her response is received.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)