Astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s jibe reignites debate on city chaos

Bengaluru: Amid ongoing discussions over Bengaluru’s notorious traffic congestion and deteriorating road infrastructure, the video clip of astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla’s teasing remark on the city’s traffic at the Bengaluru Tech Summit (BTS) has gone viral, reigniting debate over the IT city’s traffic chaos on Friday.

Shukla made the remark during the Future Makers Conclave at BTS 2025 on Thursday. Before beginning his presentation, he said, “I am coming all the way from the other side of Bengaluru, from Marathahalli, so I have spent twice the time that I am going to be spending on this presentation with you. You have to look at the commitment that I have.”

The audience burst into laughter as soon as he mentioned Marathahalli, a locality notorious for its narrow roads and severe traffic bottlenecks. Shukla too joined in the laughter.

Responding to the remark, IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge later said the government would ensure that such an experience is not repeated.

In a light-hearted comment, he said, “Like Shubhanshu Shukla mentioned, it was easier for him to get from space to Bengaluru, but getting from Marathahalli to the venue (Bengaluru International Exhibition Centre) was a little difficult. We will ensure that doesn’t happen again.”

The development is being seen as an embarrassment for the Congress-led government, which is already grappling with a leadership crisis.