Travelling to the airport is supposed to be the first step of a journey. But what if getting to the airport takes longer than the flight itself? That is exactly the question raised by a viral video in which a content creator argues that poor city planning is adding unnecessary hardships to the daily commute of millions of Indians.
Shared on social media by Manish Kumar Singh, the video has resonated with many users who claim to have faced similar problems while travelling to airports in India.
So what is shown in this viral video?
The video begins with Manish Kumar Singh sitting in the back seat of a moving vehicle, heading to Bengaluru airport to catch his flight to Kolkata. He points out that travelling from Bengaluru's HSR Layout to the airport takes 2.5 to 3 hours, while his flight from Bengaluru to Kolkata takes only 2 hours and 20 minutes.
Using this comparison, he questions whether cities should be planned in a way that forces commuters to spend more time reaching the airport than flying to another city.
Creator questions airport connectivity
In the video, Manish compares Indian cities with international destinations such as New York, Chicago, London and Paris.
According to him, airports in these cities are also located outside the city centre, but efficient transport networks allow people to reach them within 30 to 40 minutes from most parts of the city.
He argues that in India, airports are often built far away from city centres without ensuring proper road or public transport connectivity.
Mentioning Jewar and Navi Mumbai airports
The creator also cites the upcoming Noida International Airport in Jewar and Navi Mumbai International Airport, questioning whether enough consideration has been given to how people will travel to these airports.
He believes that transport infrastructure should be planned alongside airport construction rather than being addressed only after construction begins.
Towards the end of the video, he also criticises urban expansion and says that poor planning ultimately leads to traffic congestion.
Video sparks conversation online
The video has sparked a debate online, with many people agreeing that travelling to airports in several Indian cities has become increasingly time-consuming due to traffic congestion and poor connectivity.
However, others argue that factors such as land availability, safety standards and environmental concerns also play a role in determining the location of an airport, making city planning far more complex than it may appear in a short video.
With the debate continuing online, the viral video has once again brought attention to urban infrastructure, traffic congestion and the need for better public transport and airport connectivity in India's rapidly expanding cities.
