'Bengaluru needs serious traffic planning, not just...': Google techie travels 4 km in 45 minutes, asks 'hamare taxes kahan jaa rahe hain?'

A techie in Bengaluru working at US tech giant Google claimed that it took him 45 minutes to cover a short distance of 4 kilometres on his two-wheeler. The user, identified as Venkatesh D., shared the video on his Instagram account and has sparked a debate online about infrastructure and taxes and revealed that the journey merely takes 10 minutes. The video struck a chord with many users online with many sharing similar experiences of being stuck on Bengaluru roads despite living close to their workplaces.

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Venkatesh D, a software development executive working at Google in Bengaluru, recorded his unusual long journey to the office and expressed concerns over the city's traffic situation. He said the experience is so frustrating and infuriating the hell out of him.


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Hamare taxes kahan jaa rahe hain?

The tech professional also pointed out the sharp contrast between the city’s strained infrastructure and the high taxes he pays, saying that despite contributing over 30 per cent of his income in taxes, he still has to deal with severe traffic jams on a daily basis.

“So, I live 4 kilometers, almost approximately 4 kilometres from my office and it took me 45 minutes to reach to office today. What takes me like 9 to 10 minutes to come to office took me 45 minutes. It's 10:00 am in the morning I left my home and I'm reaching here, it's 10:45. Yaar, hamare taxes jaa kahan rahe hain, bhai? There have been months where I've paid more taxes than I've gotten my salary, and it's not just me, I'm sure there are thousands and lakhs of other people who do this. But it is so frustrating and infuriates the hell out of me like what's going on,” he said in the clip.

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A post shared by Venkatesh D (@flick_23)

He shared the video with the caption, “Paying premium taxes just to experience a premium crawling speed.” Bengaluru has witnessed a massive rise in population, with more than 13 million residents and millions of vehicles crowding its roads, driven by rapid urbanisation and the growth of the IT sector.
Narrow streets, limited public transport, and ongoing infrastructure work have further worsened traffic congestion across the city.

In Bengaluru, peak-hour commutes often stretch for hours, affecting both productivity and quality of life for residents. Despite efforts such as metro expansion projects and traffic management applications, the city continues to struggle with congestion due to poor urban planning and the growing number of vehicles on the roads.

Social media reaction

The clip soon went viral on social media and drew reactions from users who agreed with the techie’s concerns. One user wrote, “This is the everyday reality of Bengaluru traffic.” Another said, “Four kilometres in 45 minutes is not commuting, it is punishment.” A third commented, “The frustration is real because people pay so much tax and still get poor infrastructure.” "Including commute, I think we would qualify for overtime every single day," said another.

“Bengaluru needs serious traffic planning, not just flyovers everywhere,” one user wrote. Another added, “This is why people are asking for work from home again.” One comment read, “Every office goer in Bengaluru has felt this pain at least once.” Another user said, “The roads cannot handle the number of vehicles anymore."