A Bengaluru CEO has raised concerns over the city’s traffic and its impact on workplace productivity. He shared how long commutes are leaving employees exhausted before they even begin work. His LinkedIn post highlighted the difficulties of travelling even short distances during peak hours.
The post was shared by LinkedIn user Bala Panneerselvam, who described the daily commute as a major challenge for employees in Bengaluru.
Sharing a photo of an empty office, he wrote in the caption, “How a Bangalore office looks at 10:15 in the morning. How do we expect to do good work if we don't show up? The problem is not the people, but the effort it takes to show up at the office.”
Panneerselvam said that a four-kilometre journey around HSR can take about 20 minutes on a scooter and 30 minutes by car. During peak hours, he said, another 10 minutes can be added to the journey.
“And with all the swerving, dodging random two-wheelers jumping signals, you're no longer fresh when you reach the office,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“And with all the swerving, dodging random two-wheelers jumping signals, you're no longer fresh when you reach the office,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}He also pointed to the evening commute, saying that leaving after 6 pm can take twice as long to reach home. Even leaving at 5 pm, he said, can leave employees too tired to spend time on their personal lives.
Panneerselvam added that he recently spent two hours travelling from Whitefield to HSR, a distance of 17 km, at 4 pm.
“Non-peak hour on a random day with no delays due to rain or any other factor. We're absolutely destroying our ability to do good work in this city. If you're so overwhelmed with noise all around you, how do you spend time thinking?” he wrote.
Take a look:
Bengaluru traffic sparks discussion
The post prompted several professionals to share similar experiences.
One user wrote that the biggest issue was the “huge productivity loss due to infrastructure, extreme weather, etc.” and said Bengaluru’s growth was being supported by the “sheer resilience of our people”.
Another user recalled losing three hours travelling to an event in Whitefield. “I had hardly any energy left to reflect on the sessions and conversations I had while going back home,” the person wrote.
A third user suggested that companies consider building centres in tier-2 cities such as Kochi, Coimbatore, Hosur and Mysuru, saying this could encourage reverse migration from Bengaluru.
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Another professional compared Mumbai with Melbourne, saying it took around 50 minutes to travel 10 km in Mumbai, while a 15 km journey by train in Melbourne took about 23 minutes. The user also highlighted Melbourne’s public transport system as well-maintained, convenient and generally punctual.
(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.)