Bengaluru traffic is so ‘painful’ that Zepto co-founder says he needs to take flight to reach airport

Zepto CEO and co-founder Aadit Palicha said he has to fly out of Bengaluru a couple of times a month.

Bengaluru’s notorious traffic has claimed another high-profile critic — Zepto co-founder Aadit Palicha, who described his airport commute as “the most painful thing” in his life right now.

Speaking on the Exploring Minds podcast hosted by Shivank Joshi, Palicha said his biggest struggle is traveling from his residence to Kempegowda International Airport. “That’s like the most painful thing that I have to do one or two times a month,” he said, laughing when told about companies working to ease congestion. “I’ll be very happy if that happens,” he added.

His remarks come as Bengaluru residents escalate protests over crumbling infrastructure. Earlier this week, the Individual Tax Payers Forum warned chief minister Siddaramaiah that citizens may stop paying property tax if public amenities don’t improve. “If the GBA (Greater Bengaluru Authority) continue to ignore the tax payers' request on basic infrastructure, we request yourself to order GBA to not collect property tax from us. Give us good public infrastructure and collect tax,” the group wrote in a letter.

Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar responded on X, stating: “Giving priority to smooth traffic in Bengaluru city, the work of asphalting roads at various places in the city and filling potholes is progressing swiftly.” Shivakumar, who oversees Bengaluru development, urged collective effort instead of “constant criticism” after Biocon chief Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw reignited the debate by sharing an overseas executive’s scathing review of the city’s roads and garbage.

On Monday, she shared an awkward experience she had with an international business visitor at her Biocon Park office in Bengaluru.

According to Shaw, the visitor expressed surprise and disappointment at the condition of the city’s roads and the amount of garbage in public areas. “Why are the roads so bad and why is there so much garbage around? Doesn’t the government want to support investment? I have just come from China and can’t understand why India can’t get its act together, especially when the winds are favourable?” the visitor allegedly said.

Read more: Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw’s wake-up call: Why Bengaluru’s ‘pathetic’ waste mess won’t go away