‘Why can’t we pretend there’s a pandemic?’: Bengaluru entrepreneur’s cry for WFH amid traffic woes

Dilip Kumar, an entrepreneur based in Bengaluru, posted on X, “Why can’t we pretend there is a pandemic and it’s called road traffic and go back to working from home and doing online meetings. It’s painful to get stuck for 2hrs on a Monday morning and act enthusiastic. There is no medicine for the stress from Bangalore traffic.”

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Check out his post here:

His post quickly struck a chord with netizens across the city and beyond, many of whom echoed the sentiment and shared their own frustrations with long commutes.

“Absolutely, it affects majority of the day,” one user replied. “People with motion sickness or those who drive end up starting their day late, which in turn stretches the day and affects the cardiac cycle in the long run.”

Another user remarked, “No pretence necessary! That [pandemic] exists!”

Some pointed fingers at rigid corporate mindsets. “Please explain this to corporates and startups,” one commenter said. “My ex-colleague believed people who work from home never work.”

Others called WFH a much-needed antidote to the city’s traffic crisis. “WFH isn’t a cure for the traffic pandemic, but it’s a much-needed painkiller. Companies have the power to relieve this daily suffering, why not use it immediately?” a post read.

A few shared how the commute woes impacted their life choices. “I opted for a remote job for the same reason and moved out of Bangalore,” said one user. “While I was there, I had rented accommodation right in front of the office; that was the only way I could survive.”

Bengaluru, known as India’s tech capital, has long struggled with unrelenting traffic jams, with Monday mornings often turning into multi-hour endurance tests. 

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