A Non-Resident Indian (NRI) couple’s post about life in Bengaluru has sparked debate on Reddit. The couple, who live in Europe, were initially planning to move back to India after obtaining European passports.
However, an initial trip to Bengaluru left them disappointed and alarmed about the quality of life in the city.
The man, who posted about his experience on Reddit, revealed that the traffic in Bengaluru was horrible. He also complained about potholes and long commutes. The post was shared on the r/returntoIndia subreddit.
NRI Couple’s Visit To Bengaluru
In his post, the man said that he and his wife were looking for an apartment to buy. However, he said that Whitefield, where he visited several residential projects, had “constant traffic” and was “busy and noisy even on weekends”. The man explained that he could not imagine living in the area in a peaceful manner. “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.”
Shocked on our exploratory trip to Bangalore – how to adjust for RTI?
byu/devilman123 inreturnToIndia
The couple also viewed other projects, but found the commute and the slums nearby to be an issue. “How to RTI folks adjust? Especially those who still work( i.e. not FIRE)? Please give tips on how QoL can be improved given what I said above? Are there any good areas in Bangalore which doesn’t have broken roads, slums all around? Or do we just close our eyes and not be affected by it?” the user asked.
In the comments section, the man said that he and his wife did not love living in Europe, and cited high taxes and the difficulty in raising a kid there as reasons for their move.
Redditors Debate Quality Of Life In Bengaluru
Many users pointed out that life would be very different for the couple compared to Bengaluru. “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,” one account wrote.
A comment read, “Stay in a place walking distance from a metro stop. That will make a huge difference.”
A user advised the couple to shift to older parts of the city such as Jayanagar, Banashankari, Basavanagudi, JP Nagar, Malleshwaram and Rajajinagar and to use the 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,” the comment read.
“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 tradeoff when you move from one place to another. You would gain something and lose something. Only you can decide what works for you,” one user remarked.
The man’s experience highlights how India presents challenges for people living abroad. For many NRIs, the tangible benefits of living in the country, such as closeness to family, are offset by traffic and commute woes.
