Recently, Indian industrialist Anand Mahindra was having a good laugh as he reminisced about his visit to Venice, Italy, where he saw a traffic jam that was as bad as Mumbai’s. But this was not the usual commotion of automobiles; it was the Venetian one, with boats and gondolas moving through the city’s canals.
On X, Anand Mahindra posted, “Travelled all the way to Venice only to run into a Mumbai-style traffic jam! (OK, I admit this traffic pile-up is less stressful).” The video posted with the message shows the boats struggling for space on the narrow canal, with the beauty of the city in the background.
Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, with marvellous examples of Renaissance architecture and a unique system of canals and bridges that is visited by millions of tourists every year. Mahindra’s playful message was well received by social media users, who filled the comments section with jokes. Another one joked, “If you want to see waterlogged roads, you don’t have to go to Venice; just go to Delhi during the monsoons, and your pocket will be lighter too.”
Another user commented on the fact of traffic congestion, saying that “It’s quite funny how traffic jams can be felt everywhere, even in such a beautiful city as Venice.” Many pointed out that the Venetian traffic is more picturesque than the ‘better view’ with more honking.
Besides giving a comic twist to traffic, Anand Mahindra’s encounter was also an opportunity to demonstrate the beauty of Venice as a city that still retains its charm to attract tourists from all over the world.
