Zerodha Co-Founder Nikhil Kamath Speaks Out on Bengaluru Traffic, Says "I Want Bangalore to Look Nice"

Bengaluru traffic is a running joke across India as hundreds and thousands of memes take rounds on social media daily due to constant frustration. But is it really as bad as it's made out to be?

Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath, in his recent video podcast, spoke to two of Bengaluru's top police officers, B. Dayananda, IPS (Commissioner of Police), and M.N. Anucheth, IPS (Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic), where he says, "I am from Bangalore. I hate all the hate that is coming for Bangalore. I want Bangalore to look nice somehow."

Every day, thousands of people across the city find themselves stuck on the roads for hours, especially during peak office hours. This has become a regular part of life for most Bengalureans, making Bangalore one of the most traffic-congested cities in India.

Joint Commissioner M.N. Anucheth said, "Bangalore has 1.23 crore registered vehicles for a population of 1.5 crore; that's 872 vehicles per 1,000 people, more than Mumbai or Delhi!" This vehicle explosion happened mainly post-2000, thanks to the IT boom. The city's infrastructure never caught up, leading to daily bottlenecks."

He pointed out some of the main reason for Bangalore traffic, which are as follows:

Firstly, Bengaluru lacks a proper peripheral road network, unlike cities like Delhi that have dedicated terminals for trucks. As a result, heavy goods vehicles often enter city roads, clogging up main junctions and flyovers, leading to huge traffic

Secondly Waterlogging has been a major factor every monsoon in bangalore that creates major traffic issues. The drainage infrastructure is outdated which is making things worse for commuters and also impossible for traffic police to manage.

Lastly, Bengaluru only had BMTC buses for the longest time. While cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and Kolkata had other options, like trams, metros, and locals, before.

On Slow Pace of Bangalore Metro construction

Billionaire Nikhil Kamath, pointed out a major issue of urban infrastructure development in Bengaluru, stating. "Near my house on Bannerghatta Road, metro construction started, I don't know, maybe ten years ago. It's still going on,"

In response to that, M.N. Anucheth, IPS, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), explained, "A lot of impetus is being given now to expand public transport. In the long run, it is the only sustainable solution to Bengaluru traffic problem. Implementation has taken time, but once complete, you will definitely see a significant difference."

"Once the metro becomes fully operational, not only will people have access to faster public transit, but even the road space currently occupied by construction work will open up. For example, the full ten-lane road along the Outer Ring Road will become available again. This will definitely ease congestion." He added.

Commissioner Dayananda stressed that there's no magic fix and the progress is happening, "Better public transport, more infrastructure investment, and smarter roads are all part of the roadmap. Complaining is easy, but solutions require time," he said.