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NRI couple shocked by Bengaluru infrastructure after years in Europe: 'Constant traffic, so many potholes'
An NRI couple planning to return from Europe say traffic chaos, poor walkability and noise in Bengaluru have shaken their decision to settle there.
An NRI couple living in a European capital has sparked a discussion after sharing their disappointment with life in Bengaluru during an exploratory visit ahead of a planned return to India.
In a Reddit post titled ‘Shocked on our exploratory trip to Bangalore – how to adjust for RTI?’, the couple, both in their early 30s, said they had made up their minds to move back to India after obtaining European passports. With plans to start a family in the coming years, they felt relocating to Bengaluru would make life easier, especially with parents able to travel to India more conveniently. However, their recent visit to the city left them unsettled.
In the post, the Redditor shared that during their recent visit to Bengaluru, they stayed near Whitefield, an area that made sense on paper due to office locations along Outer Ring Road. But instead of reassurance, the experience triggered a reverse culture shock.
“This area is just so busy and noisy even on weekends. There is constant traffic. I cannot imagine living in this area peacefully. We also tried walking around, but there are fricking no roads. There are so many potholes, we almost tripped 3-4 times and had to walk very cautiously,” the user wrote.
The man further shared that they visited several residential projects while house-hunting, but said that distance from metro connectivity and reliance on cars emerged as major drawbacks. The user said commuting to Mahadevapura or MG Road could easily take over an hour during peak hours.
Other projects closer to Marathahalli reduced travel time slightly but raised different concerns. “Paying ₹4 crore to live near slums seems awful,” the post said, questioning whether quality of life would justify the cost.
Seeking advice, the Redditor asked how people who have returned to India adjust to such conditions, especially those who continue working full-time rather than retiring early. They also asked whether Bengaluru still has neighbourhoods with better infrastructure, or if residents simply learn to ignore the chaos.
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Social media reactions
Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “Don't think it makes a lot of sense to move if you both are planning to do 9-5. Traffic is brutal, work culture is questionable.”
“It is a good thing that you got first hand experience of how life would be when you get to India. Also get experience of driving a vehicle yourself. There is always a trade off when you move from one place to another. You would gain something and lose something. Only you can decide what works you,” commented another.
“Stay in a place walking distance from a metro stop. That will make a huge difference,” suggested a third user.
“Move to older parts of Bangalore (Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, Banashankari, JP Nagar, Rajajinagar, Malleshwaram) and use metro to commute as much as possible. Much better living experience. It might be difficult for your wife if her office is on ORR though,” said another.
(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.)
