- A Bengaluru startup founder blamed HAL Road traffic on pedestrians ignoring foot overbridge use
- Large groups crossing directly at 6:50 am cause daily traffic jams despite available infrastructure
- The CEO highlighted a 5 km commute that should take 10 minutes often takes much longer due to this
A Bengaluru-based startup founder has ignited a debate on LinkedIn after attributing traffic congestion on HAL Old Airport Road to pedestrian behaviour. In a LinkedIn post, Aaditya Aanand observed that large groups of employees crossing the road around 6:50 am, rather than using the nearby foot overbridge, are a key cause of daily traffic slowdowns. In his post, he described how a 5 km commute that should ideally take under 10 minutes consistently takes much longer.
According to the CEO, the issue is not just the volume of vehicles but also the way pedestrians cross the road during peak hours. He noted that despite the presence of a foot overbridge at the same spot, many people choose to cross directly through traffic, bringing vehicles to a halt.
"I leave for Badminton every day at 6:40 am. Court is 5 km away from my place. Ideally, in the morning, it should not take more than 10 minutes. However, I always get late. I take the HAL Old Airport Road. You know there is an HAL office here, and people have a 7 am shift. Now, HAL office is on the right side and employees live on the left side (it's my assumption) while going from Indiranagar," he wrote.
He also pointed to what he sees as a contradiction: even with safer, designated infrastructure available, it is often ignored in favour of more immediate but disruptive crossing methods.
"Irony is that hundreds of HAL employees cross the road around 6:50 am daily, causing a traffic jam and chaos. You might wonder, what is the irony here? Irony is the fact that there is a foot over-bridge right there but these educated folks prefer to ignore it," he added.
See the post here:
The post has drawn widespread reactions online, with users split in their opinions. Some supported the argument that neglecting basic infrastructure worsens traffic conditions, while others raised concerns about the practicality of foot overbridges, citing issues such as accessibility and convenience as reasons why pedestrians may avoid them.
One user wrote, "While this appears funny, it reflects the sad reality that our cities are built for cars, not people. Pedestrian bridges are car infrastructure, not pedestrian infrastructure. They impede pedestrians while facilitating car movement. Nobody wants to climb, then descend, 2 flights of stairs to cross a 2 lane road. Let alone the accessibility nightmare to disabled people."
Another commented, "Unless there are lifts or escalators, it's unfair to expect people to use a foot overbridge every day. If the infrastructure isn't designed for ease and accessibility, people aren't the problem, the system is."
A third said, "Convenience always wins over discipline, especially when people are in a rush to make it to an early shift.
