BJP MP Tejasvi Surya on Monday shared a post on social media. The purpose was to bring attension to the root problem of the city – Traffic congestion. In the post, Surya calls for a shift in urban transport thinking in Indian cities like Bengaluru. Surya compared Bengaluru’s worsening traffic congestion to London’s past struggles and praised the UK capital’s innovative solution: reducing car dependency in favour of cycling, walking, and public transport.
In his tweet, Surya wrote, “London, like our city Bengaluru, suffered from a severe traffic congestion crisis. But they have addressed it very effectively. No, they didn’t build tunnel roads. They didn’t build more flyovers on flyovers. They addressed the root of the problem – cars.”
‘More cycles than cars’: London’s transformation stuns netizens
Attached to his tweet is a 10-minute youtube video that showcases how London tackled its gridlock by deliberately slowing down car traffic and encouraging active transportation. The video reveals a fact that bicycles now outnumber cars on many major roads in central London. Pedestrian-friendly zones, segregated bike lanes, and improved public transit have created a more efficient, healthy, and happy urban environment.
One cyclist in the video shares, “I go everywhere on my bike. It’s very efficient and joyful. Also, it’s much faster and cheaper.” Another remarks, “It’s nice to hit the silent streets. It helps maintain fitness, and we’ve built a community. There’s no congestion, and people are happy.”
Call to action: Demand better public transport
Surya concluded his tweet by urging citizens to shift their demands from more flyovers and roads to better public transport. “People should start demanding more public transport from their governments,” he tweeted. The statement aligns with urban mobility experts who believe expanding road infrastructure often worsens traffic rather than alleviating it.