New York's Urban Reality Exposed: Viral Video Shows Infrastructure Flaws in Times Square

A viral video captured by an Indian digital creator has highlighted the imperfections in New York's celebrated cityscape. Gaurav Mishra shared footage on Instagram that begins with him walking through Manhattan's vibrant streets before focusing on a large puddle at a corner of 42nd Street in Times Square.

In the video, Mishra comments, "The roads here aren't very good either, there's water collected at the corners, and look, the condition of the roads isn't very good." The clip concludes with an on-screen message stating, "Even the best city has some flaws." His post caption provocatively asks, "New York is all glamorous and spotless?"

The content quickly gained traction online, sparking numerous reactions. One commenter suggested, "India's roads are better than this. Right, bro?" while another expressed affection for the city despite its issues: "New York City is the largest city in the US, in-fact New York City has over $1 trillion in GDP. Despite all the chaos I love this place."

Other viewers shared varied perspectives, with comments ranging from observations about pollution levels to declarations of disinterest in visiting. One user simply advised, "First fix your city."

According to official data from the New York City Department of Transportation (DOT), the majority of the city's street network is well-maintained, with 77.5 percent of streets receiving a "Good" rating on the Pavement Condition Index for Fiscal Year 2024. Less than 0.5 percent fell into the "Poor" category.

However, infrastructure challenges persist. The DOT addressed 154,898 potholes across local streets and arterial roads during FY 2024, representing a 12 percent decrease from the previous year, indicating ongoing maintenance efforts despite the city's generally acceptable road conditions.