For many NRIs, coming back to India feels comforting. It means being closer to family, eating familiar food, and raising children around grandparents. This was exactly how an NRI couple in their early thirties felt while living in a European capital. After years abroad and with plans to start a family, they decided that returning to India, especially Bengaluru, made sense.



They believed life would feel easier at home. A recent visit, however, made them pause.



Whitefield was the first shock
During their stay in Bengaluru, the couple lived near Whitefield, close to office hubs on Outer Ring Road. While the location looked practical on paper, daily life felt stressful.



The area was crowded and noisy even on weekends. Traffic never seemed to slow down. Simple things like stepping out for a walk became difficult because of broken roads, potholes, and missing footpaths. After living in Europe, where walking and public transport are part of everyday life, the constant congestion in Bengaluru felt overwhelming.



What they expected to feel familiar instead felt tiring.



House hunting raised more doubts



The project was far from the metro, making car travel unavoidable. Her office commute would take close to an hour. His daily commute to MG Road could stretch to nearly eighty minutes during peak traffic.



Other homes closer to Marathahalli reduced commute time slightly but came with another concern. High property prices combined with nearby slums made spending nearly four crore rupees on a home feel hard to justify.



Seeking advice from othersFeeling unsure, the couple shared their experience on Reddit and asked how other returning Indians manage these challenges while working full time. They wondered whether quality of life improves over time or whether people simply learn to ignore traffic, broken roads, and daily chaos.



What people told themThe responses were mixed but honest.



Some users felt that returning does not make sense for those continuing nine to five jobs, pointing out that traffic is brutal and work culture can be demanding. Others mentioned environmental concerns such as dust from construction and heavy vehicle movement, suggesting that cities like Singapore offer a better balance.



A few shared personal experiences of similar shock after returning to Indian cities from abroad. While many agreed that life outside India feels more peaceful, they also admitted that raising a child without family support can be emotionally difficult.



Practical suggestions from locals
Chennai, Nov 6 (IANS) In a major infrastructure upgrade aimed at eliminating traffic snarls at toll plazas, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to introduce a camera-based automatic toll collection system on key stretches of the Chennai-Bengaluru National Highway and GST Road. Not everyone discouraged the move. Some users offered practical advice to improve daily life in Bengaluru.



They suggested living in older neighbourhoods such as Jayanagar, Basavanagudi, Banashankari, JP Nagar, Rajajinagar, or Malleshwaram. Many recommended using the metro as much as possible and choosing a home within walking distance of a metro station to reduce dependence on cars. Several felt this could make a noticeable difference to quality of life, even if office commutes remain challenging.




(This story is based on a post shared by a social media user)