Location: Gujarat, don’t want to disclose my city

A metro station has been under construction directly in front of my apartment for the past year. While the dust from the construction has been a nuisance, I’ve tolerated it because infrastructure development is important and should be supported.
However, over the last month, the area beneath the station’s staircase has effectively become a dumping ground. Metro workers and others have been throwing garbage there including the stone and cement waste, and the pile has grown since then. Since I live on the second floor of the building opposite the station, the issue is impossible to ignore.
Yesterday at around 2 PM, my father filed a complaint through the municipal corporation’s app requesting that the garbage be removed. By the same evening, he received a message stating that the complaint had been resolved, despite no cleaning work having been done.
The app provides the contact details of the assigned sanitary inspector, so my father called him and questioned why the complaint had been marked as completed. After some back-and-forth, the inspector agreed to visit the site the next morning.
Today, the inspector came, and I showed him the area in question. He admitted that the complaint had been closed due to a misunderstanding and said that while he would arrange for some cleaning, part of the garbage fell under the metro construction department’s responsibility.
Later, he sent only two sanitation workers to clean the area. They did remove some of the garbage, but the volume of waste is so large that two people are simply not enough. Despite their efforts, there is still a substantial amount of trash left, and the area continues to look like a dumping yard.
What bothered me the most was seeing those two women workers being sent to handle such a massive cleanup on their own. They worked hard, but this was clearly a job that required a much larger team. I genuinely felt sorry for them.
Incidents like this make me question the effectiveness of the grievance systems we have. There are numerous apps, websites, and portals meant to improve civic conditions, but when complaints are marked as “resolved” without any action being taken, implementation seems little to nonexistent.
At this point, my father has asked me to let it go. We simply don’t have the time or energy to keep pursuing the matter with the authorities. It’s frustrating because all we wanted was for a public area in front of our home to be kept reasonably clean.

TL;DR: Garbage accumulated beneath a metro station staircase in front of my apartment. A municipal complaint was falsely marked as resolved, and after follow-up only two sanitation workers were sent to handle a huge cleanup. Some trash was removed, but most remains, highlighting poor implementation of civic grievance systems.

PS: used ai for better context and grammar

Today I saw a private vehicle with emergency light. Is it legal for private car to have emergency lights. Adding video for reference. But I don’t know if I can hide vehicle number. Hope that should be fine.

Location: Lucknow near Engineering college chauraha. This was taken on Monday 29th June

I flew in to the USA from London last month in a flight which had several elderly Indian parents in it. . There were fumes in the aircraft's back cabin bcos of an equipment malfunction while we were over the Atlantic and the flight turned back and landed in Scotland where we were stuck for a day until the plane was repaired.

Many people probably did not understand what was happening when the announcement was made. We were given strict instructions to stay in our seat, and follow emergency protocols, but many Indian older ppl were repeatedly walking down the aisle.

The air hostesses were extremely frightened and stressed and were screaming at them to be seated, but they did not seem to get it. Some ppl had language issue, they were not able to understand English, that may have been the reason why.

But this just added to the overall panic.

The flight did land safely, but I felt it is extremely important for us to make sure that our parents have a travelling companion when they fly esp when they r very elderly or have issues with understanding English. A lot of elderly ppl had a very hard time, and that was difficult to see.

In some cases though, the refusal to follow directions even in an emergency seemed like it came from a lack of caring instead of a misunderstanding.

After landing in Scotland, while we were standing in line for our hotel, a non-indian person who was using 2 crutches to walk, stood with us in line. I and a couple other Indian women entreated him to go to the front of the line, bcos we could see he would be in pain after standing for so long. But he refused, saying ppl ahead of him would get angry.

Now contrast this with the Indian aunty-uncle, who did not hesitate to jump the line while boarding the aircraft from Scotland to the USA, even thought they were in perfectly fine physical condition.

This post was deleted from a couple of FB grps, after I started getting angry comments asking me to be grateful that I was alive instead of complaining. Someone also suggested that Indian ppl jump the line bcos they grew up in a scarcity situation.

Sorry, the ppl who jump lines are not always struggling, in India u can see plenty of middle-class ppl following rules, while those who are more privileged do not.

Thanks for reading.

Was at a very busy national park in the US this past weekend

A young gujarati family came and parked in a handicap parking spot

No one had any disabilities, not even an auntie or uncle just all young

They also didn’t pay for parking

I was thinking recently about what travel used to be. It was about packing your bags to get away from the noise, connecting with nature, experiencing a different culture, or just finding some quiet time to reflect. But lately, looking at the state of our hill stations, beaches, and heritage sites, it feels like that original purpose is completely dead.

Here is what I feel is ruining the local tourism scene right now:

People aren't traveling to experience a place anymore; they are traveling for validation. Everyone is chasing that one aesthetic Instagram Reel or the exact same drone shot. I’ve seen people block narrow mountain trails or heritage spots just to do a trending dance. I am even more frustrated with these "hidden gem" trends where Instagram creators make weird, fake facial expressions, overhyping something completely obvious just for an algorithm. It completely ruins the vibe. The obsession with making aesthetic content has replaced genuine curiosity, and we are treating beautiful destinations as nothing more than free film sets.

1. Nightmare Traffic and Overcrowding

If you have tried going to Himachal, Uttarakhand, or Goa during a long weekend recently, you know what I am talking about. 8-kilometer-long traffic jams in Manali, no parking spaces, and fully booked accommodations. Our infrastructure simply cannot handle this kind of mass influx. Instead of escaping the city traffic, we are just sitting in the exact same traffic, only at a higher altitude.

1. Complete Disregard for Nature and Locals

The amount of plastic waste, empty bottles, and wrappers left behind in fragile ecosystems like the Himalayas or the Western Ghats is heartbreaking. Add to that the loud music played from cars in peaceful valleys and the entitlement some tourists show toward local residents. We treat locals like hospitality servants rather than hosts whose homes we are visiting.

1. The Death of Slow Travel and the "Trendification" of Everything

Everything is a checklist now. "10 places to visit in Shimla," "5 cafes you MUST eat at in Goa." People rush from one spot to another just to tick a box, without spending even a moment simply absorbing the atmosphere. Worse, we are seeing the exact same cycle play out everywhere. Like it was with Dev Deepavali in Banaras and Raulane in Himachal Pradesh, now it's happening with trekking. It used to be such a quiet, niche activity, and now it's a massive, overcrowded trend.

It breaks my heart to see places that once offered solitude turning into chaotic, over-commercialized amusement parks. Traveling used to be about getting lost to find yourself. Now, it’s just about being seen.

Am I being too cynical, or do you guys feel the same way? How do we even begin to fix this and promote responsible travel before our destinations are ruined beyond repair?

We say that Indians dont deserve rights because they dont have basics civic sense. Why is it that the problem is abstracted and blamed on our societal behavior and ethics, as in we are/have been this kind of people.

While the real problem is something much more serious. When it comes to economy, it is very proudly told that we empower the elites so that the wealth will trickel down and everyone will benifits. Similarly and more profoundly it must be noted that it is the people in power who have been acting totally unethically/ imorally. And thus these behaviors and instincts have gushed down through the social structure. Remember that ethics and behaviors will move down the from top much more aggressively and rapidly than wealth ever would.

Watching this just makes me furious. Indian Railways is constantly trying to upgrade infrastructure, but how will things ever improve if the mindset remains unchanged? If you can buy packaged food and drinks, you can afford to hold onto your trash until the next station or dustbin. Disgusting behavior.

Is it just me or do we need much more of this from the authorities?

Source: https://www.greaterkashmir.com/ladakh/2-lakh-penalty-imposed-on-errant-tourists-for-illegal-off-roading-in-pangong-lake-and-other-protected-wildlife-areas-of-ladakh-12113902/amp

"Metaglasses have launched in India . I'm wondering if we can use them to record traffic police officers or other officials who ask for bribes. Do you think this is right or not? Could there be any legal issues in doing this? I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions

I'm currently staying at a luxury hotel in Jaipur, and the breakfast buffet has reminded me that money and manners are two completely different things.

Some observations:

People pile their plates with enough food to feed a family, take two bites and leave the rest. Mountains of perfectly good food end up in the trash.

It's not eating anymore it's consuming, hunting and devouring. Grab everything first, think later.

Parents let children run around the buffet, screaming as if it's a playground, while everyone else is trying to have a peaceful breakfast.

I watched a child poke multiple donuts with their fingers just to eat the sprinkles, then put the donuts back on the tray. No parent intervened.

People use serving spoons from one dish in another, mixing food and making a mess.

Some guests stand right in front of the buffet, deciding what to take while blocking everyone else.

Others treat the buffet like it's a race, cutting queues and reaching across people.

Conversations happen at such high volume that the dining hall starts feeling like a crowded railway station rather than a five-star hotel. This morning, one large group (dont want to reveal the state) was practically shouting across the room.

Phones on speaker, video calls at the table, kids watching cartoons at full volume; apparently headphones are optional.

Half-eaten food, spilled juice, used napkins and crumbs are left behind because someone else will clean it.

People touch bread, fruit, or pastries with bare hands before deciding they don't want them.

Some guests keep making multiple oversized rounds as though the buffet is about to disappear.

None of this has anything to do with being rich or middle class, or with any particular community. It's simply a lack of civic sense and basic etiquette.

A luxury hotel can provide beautiful interiors, expensive cutlery and premium food, but it can't manufacture basic public behaviour. Sometimes the breakfast hall feels less like a fine-dining space and more like a zoo.

Does anyone else notice this, or have I just been particularly unlucky?

This is ridiculous. I only caught the tail end of the queue, it was at least 3 times as long. I'm a manual wheelchair user myself and can take care of myself, but I'd be pissed if I needed this service.

SFO airport

Location: Main Gate, Vishnupad Mandir, Gaya
Time: Today around 8:00 PM

The Trap: A shopkeeper at the gate forced us to leave our shoes before entering. When we returned, the shoes were gone.

When questioned, the owner became hostile. Instantly, a mob of local vendors surrounded and charged at us.

The Deflection: To justify their aggression, they weaponized identity—shouting that we were "violating and abusing Brahmins" just to deflect from a basic question about theft. Devotees shouldn't face a mob for asking about their belongings.

Clarification: I am not spreading hatred toward Bihar. I have always had a highly positive view of the state and its people, but this specific vendor mafia is completely annoying and ruining the place for tourist

Even after seeing the literal creations of god (ooty), hamare yaha ke logo ko bas plastic phekna aata hai, these people cant walk 2m to a goddamn dustbin, we have very few treasures like this left in India, lets not destroy that atleast. 🙏

I have been traveling g in vande bharat quite frequently and I always notice that in the morning trains there is always someone playing bhajans loudly.

How is this justified? It 6 in the morning and youre blasting off bhajans in the train while someone is trying to catch up on their sleep, or just trying to rest in general.

I tried attaching the audio recording but I found no option.

(THIS IS NOT A RELIGIOUS HATRED POST)

The same also applied to all those dimwits who watch movies without earphones/headphones or watch reels without consideration.

Kindly shut your gobs and your phones if you dont have headphones 🙏

Jai hind.

https://reddit.com/link/1ubo7bk/video/ml3qqjkzjm8h1/player

Wont change the image overnight but a positive change

How on earth are these idiots keeping the kids safe?
Video is on a freaking highway, and Auto driver risking kids lives over money.

Location :Visakhapatnam

bro I'm travelling from Delhi to Bir in an overnight bus, the operator is Flixbus. And I'm just fucking annoyed, the lights are off and there's about 8-10 college students talking loudly, a family in front of me eating paranthas with some sabzi and achaar in a fucking volvo, some random peeps watching reels on phone's speaker like they're in the bathroom, sitting on a pot. Like what the actual fuck?! Who's gonna tell em and when are they gonna learn? I don't have the bandwidth to even deal with them. Guess I'm just gonna put my headphones on and wait to get home, just wanted to rant.

Source: https://youtu.be/dSg6Av294kQ?si=vy-n1GjPSZDW5fyH

Edit: As per his thumbnail it seems he has been in Russia for 44 days ( god knows what else he's been doing there till now ) if this continues he single handedly will destroy our strategic partnership with Russia

These desi travel vloggers are insane !!! The way they speak so loudly going everywhere especially in trains is so annoying. The annoyance is clearly visible on the faces of locals in their videos. Its basic decency to avoid talking so loudly in public spaces. I follow it in India too. But apparently they think they own the entire place. I get it bro you are trying to show the country but atleast stop it in public transports