'Our children deserve better': Canadian man calls out Bengaluru's ‘damaged' infrastructure in Indiranagar
A Canadian man shared a video showing broken, unsafe footpaths in Bengaluru’s Indiranagar, saying parents and children are forced onto roads, sparking debate over the city’s failing infrastructure.
Bengaluru, infamous for its infrastructure woes, has once again come into the limelight after a Canadian national shared city’s increasingly dilapidated condition. The user recorded the unsafe pathway he and his young son had to navigate while walking through Indiranagar, one of the city’s most expensive localities.
In the video shared on Instagram, Caleb Friesen, along with his son, walks through broken footpaths, open voids and misaligned slabs. The video shows missing covers, plants and trees blocking the way, unfortunately compelling them to walk onto the road.
“This is your signal to stop doomscrolling and start doomwalking,” Friesen wrote in the caption.
“In all seriousness though, this is what Double Road in Indiranagar (one of Bengaluru's most expensive neighbourhoods) is like as a pedestrian parent. Footpaths are damaged beyond repair, encroached by potted plants, trees and vehicles, and generally just unwalkable,” he continued.
Even as he flagged infrastructure issues in one of Bengaluru’s costliest areas, Friesen acknowledged that Indiranagar remains in a better state than several other parts of Indian cities. “At least Indiranagar has footpaths. This is a huge step up from the reality of many localities in India’s metropolitan cities, where the idea of walking from point A to point B is borderline comedic,” he wrote, expressing hope that conditions improve in the coming decades. “Our children deserve better,” he said.
Here's how social media users reacted:
The video has amassed numerous responses, with several users in the comments section saying it resonates with their experiences.
“This is so sad and scary… I couldn’t even watch the whole video,” one user commented. Another wrote, “I walk on these footpaths every day, but I’ve gotten so used to them that I barely notice anymore. Thanks for showing me a different perspective.”
“Buddy, don’t walk please — you never know, you’d end up in a drainage pipe somewhere,” a user cautioned. “This was so sad to watch. The government’s apathy towards its citizens and the future of the country is on full display. Hopelessness is what they’re leaving for the next generation,” said another.