Why Traffic Is The Main Dealbreaker Preventing NRIs From Returning To India

The post gained significant attention, with numerous individuals concurring with the man's perspective.

A man who returned to India after living in the United States for 25 years has disclosed the primary "deal breaker" that prevents many wealthy Indian immigrants from returning to their homeland. In a post shared on X, Naresh explained that as he and his wife neared retirement, several of their friends based in the US were contemplating moving back to India.

While he recognized that India offered "many positives," he identified the terrible traffic conditions as the major factor that consistently deterred them.

"Wife and I lived in the US for 25 years and returned to India. As we are approaching retirement age, some US friends are asking how life in India really is, as they are debating moving to India for retirement," he shared.

"So many positives here, but you know what the dealbreaker for many is? The horrendous Traffic," he further stated.

Despite their financial security and willingness to contribute to India's economy, he mentioned that many NRIs hesitate to return due to the chaotic traffic conditions.

"Just think about it, NRI's with $$ to contribute to the Indian economy, but not coming back because of our chaotic traffic," he wrote, adding, "There are so many hidden costs to our bad traffic. We need to fix it on a war footing," he concluded his post by tagging Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The post quickly attracted attention, with many agreeing with his assessment.

Some questioned the rationale of returning to India after contributing significantly to the US. He responded that everyone had their own reasons, such as aging parents, affordable healthcare, or the convenience of having domestic help like cooks, maids, and drivers.

Responding to one comment, he stated, "It's the chaos of Indian traffic that is frustrating. People cutting left and right, honking, etc. I can handle Chicago traffic jams where everyone maintains lane discipline and there is order."

One individual suggested relocating to a village or semi-urban area where traffic congestion is less severe.

The conversation among NRIs about potentially returning to India has gained traction, especially following the US implementation of stricter visa regulations and increased efforts to address illegal immigration.

Last month, an Indian tech professional who had spent eight years in the US expressed a "craving for stability" and desire for community connection. In a Reddit post, he mentioned that he moved to the US in 2016 to pursue his master's degree and secured employment by 2018.

"I always had the goal of saving and investing as much as possible during this time and was constantly looking for ways to return to India," he wrote in the post.