‘Clean Air, Proper Roads, No Honking’: Founder Compares Dubai Life To India

Riya Upreti, founder and CEO of Fobet Media, has sparked a lively debate online after sharing her observations about the differences between life in Dubai and India. In a post on X, the entrepreneur said that after moving her company’s office from Noida to Dubai, frequent travel between the two places has changed the way she views civic infrastructure and public spaces.

“We moved our office to Dubai, and I travel there frequently. Every time I come back to India, it takes me a few days to adjust again,” Upreti wrote.

She argued that international travel offers a valuable perspective and suggested that every Indian should experience it at least once. Highlighting Dubai’s clean air, organised roads, proper sidewalks, and litter-free streets, she

said such experiences make people realise what “basic civic infrastructure and citizen privileges” should look like.

We moved our office to Dubai and I travel there frequently. Every time I come back to India, it takes me a few days to adjust again.

Every Indian should travel abroad at least once in their lifetime. It changes your perspective. When you experience clean air, no constant…

— Riya Upreti (@riyaelity) June 24, 2026

 Her comments quickly gained traction online, drawing both support and criticism from social media users.

One user agreed with her point but emphasised that overseas travel is not accessible to everyone, writing, “You are damn right …. but as every Indian in not fortunate enough to travel due to financial constraints and others….in fact only 8-9% Indians have valid Passports as of now….so the basic civic sense should be part of schools with strict implementation ….”

Another commenter argued that many Indians admire better systems abroad but fail to adopt those habits back home. The user wrote, “People travel alone, draw inspiration, admire cleanliness, get awestruck living disciplined way, and when they return to India, they make post but stop living that way.”

Some questioned whether simply pointing out differences was enough. One user asked, “Have you even once thought how you can bring about a change in India to take India closer to these developed places? Would you sponsor a trip for one poor family to Dubai every year to experience life there? Or are these only for the rich to experience?”

Others related to the frustration Upreti described. A commenter shared, “Reality is, when we go abroad and back in India….we are more frustrated by seeing honking,no lane drive , civic sense , pollution, population, corruption….etc.”

Not everyone welcomed the comparison. One user bluntly responded, “Please no!! All Indians stay in India. The reason why these things don’t exist is the people and we don’t need anymore abroad. You are to blame!”

Another user offered a more personal perspective, writing, “No.I lived abroad until 2021. I on verge of depression at inability to find employment abroad.Desperate to leave this SH*T HOLE.”