India’s vibrant and diverse culture often leads to a trail of contradictory opinions. A recent incident has highlighted the same as a Couple’s decision to cook a meal at the side of the main lanes of the national highway rest area has become a topic of heated discussion on social media. The ease with which the couple were cooking in the rest area led the person shooting the reel to ask why they were doing so. On which the family replied, “yeh rest area hau, Yahan allowed hai”
The video showcased that the man was relaxing with a child while his wife prepares food on the roadside. Many social media users criticised the couple, citing concerns about the safety and public space usage. The couple states that they were in the rest area and were not stopping any traffic and hence they were right to allow to conduct themselves in the manner they decided to.
An Instagram handle that posted the reel highlighted
Civic sense is a rare luxury in India , something not everyone seems able to afford. Take this scene for example: a family has started cooking right in the middle of road , turning the area messy. Tell me honestly, is this acceptable? pic.twitter.com/Xytjpv2DlS
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“Civic sense is a rare luxury in India, something not everyone seems able to afford,” a user shared the video on X (formerly Twitter). “Take this scene, for example: a family has started cooking right in the middle of the road, turning the area messy. Tell me honestly, is this acceptable?”
Reactions from Social Media
Social media was replete with widespread discussion about the basic civic sense. “In India, all kinds of uncivilised nonsense are acceptable. If one starts asking questions or telling the truth, then everyone starts having issues, a user wrote in the comment section.
” This is just wild. Cooking in the middle of the road? That’s not ‘jugaad,’ that’s chaos. Public space isn’t a personal kitchen, and turning the whole area messy is even worse. Civic sense shouldn’t be a luxury – it’s a basic responsibility,” another user wrote.
The area beyond the periphery of the roads are often used by speeding vehicles while overtaking, and hence extended stoppage in the area can lead to rear end collisions from speeding vehicles. It’s important that while you stop in the rest area, you always use your hazard lights, and in case you have stopped to repair your vehicle it’s imperative that you place the hazard triangle at a place where approaching vehicles can see.
