‘Traffic is the new tax’: Bengaluru techie says he loses 2.5 months a year in viral rant

Traffic congestion in Bengaluru has become so severe that a tech employee’s viral Reddit post has sparked widespread debate, with many calling it a “hidden tax” on the city’s workforce. A Reddit post a techie living in JP Nagar, detailed the daily struggles of commuting in the city. (PTI) A Reddit post a techie living in JP Nagar, detailed the daily struggles of commuting in the city. Earning ₹28 lakh annually (excluding RSUs), the techie noted that he pays ₹6.5 lakh in income tax and ₹1.4 lakh in GST on routine expenses, together amounting to more than three months of work each year. (Also Read: ‘Hideous, horrible, shoddy’: Bengaluru beautification work backfires after Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, residents mock it) Read his full post here: However, the cost doesn’t end there. His office, located on Outer Ring Road, is just 14 kilometers from his home, a dance that should take 30 minutes to cover. In reality, the commute takes 90 minutes each way. Over the course of a year, the employee estimates he loses 2.5 months of productive time sitting in traffic. “The first two taxes were meant to build better roads, smoother commutes, and smarter cities,” he wrote. “But planning went wrong. The money often went elsewhere. Ending up paying the hidden tax, not even having time to look back and introspect.” How did Reddit users react?The post resonated with many Bengaluru residents and professionals. One user commented, “If you put an engineer working in Bengaluru in any foreign city with cleaner air and no traffic, they will become 20% more efficient. Everyone is coughing, sneezing, and taking leave for children falling ill, but air pollution is still underestimated.” Another added, “You can’t build highways in a congested city like this. Politicians aren’t the only problem. Why doesn’t the central government offer tax breaks for companies to invest in tier-two cities? Population dribution would ease the pressure. Now everyone comes to Bengaluru like bees and expects Dubai-like infrastructure.” Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.(Also Read: Bengaluru’s traffic divide: Viral maps show east choking in jams, west moving free)