‘Rs 350 just to get to office’: Bengaluru CEO flags cost of commuting for freshers

A Bengaluru CEO has brought attention to the exorbitant costs of commuting for recent graduates in the city. In a LinkedIn post, Sanket Sheth described how a new employee confided that getting to work costs Rs 350 each day. Living near Lalbagh and working in HSR, the employee's parents feared their son riding a scooter due to Bangalore's congested roads, necessitating a two-hour commute by public transport with numerous transfers and additional last-mile travel.

Combining public transport and auto-rickshaw rides also brought the total to approximately Rs 350 per day. Over a standard month, this amounts to Rs 7,000 to Rs 8,000 solely for commuting, a substantial sum for someone receiving their first salary. Sheth questioned whether Bengaluru's rapid growth is making the city unaffordable for the very individuals who have contributed to its vitality.

He argued that a 22-year-old entering their career should not need to calculate whether they can afford their daily commute. Instead, their initial earnings should inspire feelings of liberation, whether it involves purchasing items independently or saving their first Rs 1,000. Sheth also raised concerns over the potential long-term implications of these commuting expenses on Bengaluru's workforce.

Young employees might lean towards remote positions, decline jobs necessitating regular office presence, or even contemplate relocating to other cities where their salaries would go further. His post elicited a range of reactions, from empathy for financially strained new employees to criticism of Bengaluru-centric complaints amidst similar issues in other cities.