Founder Shows Empty Office, Says ‘We’re Losing Ability to Do Good Work’ (Img: Founder's Linkdin)
Bengaluru: A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has sparked a debate on the city’s worsening traffic situation after sharing a picture of his nearly empty office at 10:15 AM, blaming long and exhausting commutes for affecting employee productivity.
Bala Panneerselvam, founder of Applied AI Studio and the Applied AI Club community, shared the post on LinkedIn and said the biggest challenge was not employees’ willingness to work, but the struggle required to reach the workplace.
Sharing a picture of his office during morning hours, Panneerselvam questioned how companies could expect employees to deliver their best when reaching the office itself becomes a major challenge.
He said that heavy traffic, crowded roads and unpredictable travel times leave employees mentally and physically exhausted before they even begin their workday.
According to him, even short distances in Bengaluru can take a significant amount of time. He highlighted that a four-kilometre journey around the HSR Layout area could take around 20 minutes on a scooter and nearly 30 minutes by car, with peak-hour traffic adding further delays.
The entrepreneur also shared his own experience of travelling from Whitefield to HSR Layout, saying a 17-kilometre journey took nearly two hours despite it being a non-peak period and without rain-related disruptions.
He pointed out that evening travel creates another challenge, as employees leaving after work often spend hours reaching home, leaving little time or energy for personal life.
The post quickly gained attention online, with many users agreeing that Bengaluru’s traffic problems have become a serious productivity issue.
Several users shared their own experiences of spending hours daily in traffic, citing poor road conditions, congestion and long commutes as major sources of stress.
Many said that while Bengaluru remains a major technology and startup hub, infrastructure challenges are affecting the quality of life for people working in the city.
The discussion has once again brought attention to the impact of urban growth, traffic management and infrastructure planning in India’s Silicon Valley.
