Canadian Citizen Highlights Bengaluru’s Poor Roads and Footpaths

New Delhi: Bengaluru, India’s largest IT hub, home to global giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Wipro, is now in the spotlight for an entirely different reason—its deteriorating infrastructure. Caleb Friesen, a Canadian national, recently raised concerns about the city’s damaged roads and footpaths in Indira Nagar, one of Bengaluru’s most upscale neighborhoods.

Video Highlights Unsafe Streets
Friesen shared a video on Instagram showing himself walking with his young son along uneven, pothole-ridden footpaths. The footage captures missing footpath covers, obstructive plants, and broken bricks, forcing pedestrians onto the road. Friesen captioned the video: “This is your signal to stop watching bad news and see it for yourself.”

Serious Concerns for Pedestrians
In his post, Friesen highlighted the challenges faced by parents and pedestrians: “This double road in Indira Nagar, one of Bengaluru’s priciest areas, has footpaths that are completely blocked by pots, trees, and parked cars. Walking here has become extremely difficult.”

Balanced Perspective
Despite the criticism, Friesen acknowledged some positives. “At least Indira Nagar has footpaths. This is far better than many areas in India’s large cities, where walking from one place to another is nearly impossible,” he wrote. He expressed hope that the city’s infrastructure would improve in the coming decades, emphasizing that future generations deserve better.

Public Reaction
Friesen’s post has gone viral, receiving over 15,000 likes, more than 450 comments, and over 2,000 shares. Reactions from users range from agreement to shock. One commenter admitted that they had walked the same footpath daily but never realized the severity of the issue, while another described the situation as “sad and frightening.” Some even joked that the footpaths seemed more suited for trekking than walking.

A Call for Better Infrastructure
Friesen’s video highlights a growing concern in Bengaluru—despite being a global IT hub, the city’s infrastructure, especially for pedestrians, remains inadequate. His post has sparked conversations online, urging local authorities to prioritize safer streets and footpaths for residents and visitors alike.