Bengaluru’s traffic congestion has sparked a fresh debate over its impact on work and everyday life after entrepreneur Bala Panneerselvam, founder of Applied AI Studio and the Applied AI Club community, shared a photograph of his nearly empty office at 10:15 am. In a LinkedIn post, Panneerselvam said employees were struggling to reach the workplace on time because of long and exhausting commutes. He argued that the problem was not employees’ willingness to work, but the effort required simply to reach the office, leaving people drained before their working day began.
He also recalled spending two hours travelling 17 km from Whitefield to HSR Layout at around 4 pm. His post has since prompted professionals to share similar experiences and debate possible solutions, including better public transport, cycling infrastructure and decentralised workplaces.
Empty Office Snapshot
Panneerselvam’s post drew attention after he shared a picture of his office at 10:15 am, showing several empty desks. Rather than blaming employees for arriving late, he focused on the conditions that commuters face while travelling across Bengaluru.
“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 wrote in the post.
He said even relatively short journeys can become time-consuming. Citing the HSR area as an example, he said a four-kilometre journey can take around 20 minutes on a scooter and about 30 minutes by car, with peak-hour congestion adding further time.
According to Panneerselvam, the problem is not limited to the number of minutes spent travelling. He said navigating congested roads, including dealing with unpredictable traffic movements and two-wheelers, leaves commuters mentally and physically tired by the time they reach work.
Two Hours For 17Km
Panneerselvam further highlighted his own experience to illustrate the scale of Bengaluru’s traffic problem. He said a 17-km journey from Whitefield to HSR Layout took him two hours at around 4 pm.
He described it as a non-peak-hour journey on a day without rain or another major disruption. “We’re absolutely destroying our ability to do good work in this city,” he wrote, questioning how people can focus and think creatively when they are overwhelmed by the daily commute.
He also pointed to the evening journey home. According to him, employees leaving after 6 pm can take roughly twice as long to reach home, while even leaving around 5 pm can leave workers too tired to spend meaningful time on their personal lives.
The founder’s argument was therefore broader than delayed office attendance. He suggested that the cumulative effect of commuting could influence employees’ energy, concentration and ability to balance professional and personal responsibilities.
Solutions Draw Online
The post quickly attracted reactions from professionals and Bengaluru residents, many of whom shared their own experiences of lengthy commutes. Some commenters pointed to poor roads, congestion and infrastructure as contributing factors, while others suggested that companies should rethink how and where employees work.
Panneerselvam himself suggested reducing the number of cars on the road, improving public transport and creating dedicated cycling infrastructure. He also proposed cycle-only lanes in narrower parts of the city to make shorter journeys easier and potentially reduce pressure on roads.
Other users suggested that companies could consider establishing offices or centres in tier-2 cities such as Mysuru, Coimbatore, Kochi and Hosur, allowing businesses to access talent without concentrating all employment opportunities in Bengaluru. Another response urged companies to consider work-from-home arrangements where physical presence is not essential.
No specific response from Bengaluru civic or traffic authorities addressing Panneerselvam’s LinkedIn post was reported in the recent coverage. The discussion, however, has once again brought Bengaluru’s long-running congestion problem into focus, particularly its effect on workers and the city’s quality of life.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Bengaluru’s traffic debate is ultimately about more than reaching the office on time. When long commutes become a routine part of working life, the costs can extend to people’s energy, family time, personal well-being and ability to engage meaningfully with their work. At the same time, the conversation should not become about blaming employees, motorists or individual authorities.
Addressing congestion requires cooperation between citizens, employers, transport agencies and urban planners, along with sustained investment in public transport, safer streets, walking and cycling infrastructure and better-connected neighbourhoods. Panneerselvam’s post offers one perspective on a problem experienced by many, but the larger question is how Bengaluru can grow without making excessive commuting an unavoidable part of everyday life. What changes do you think Bengaluru needs most to make commuting easier and the city more liveable?
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