A software developer's viral post on X advised young couples and singles against buying flats in large gated communities due to overbearing RWAs. He shared a personal story about a security lapse and the RWA's hostile response, which sparked a wider online discussion about micromanagement and moral policing in such societies.
After encouraging young couples and singles to steer clear of purchasing flats in expansive gated communities, a software developer ignited a contentious online discussion. In a widely shared discussion on X, Shravan Venkataraman said that excessively controlling resident welfare associations (RWAs), which are controlled by senior members, make life in many high-rise complexes stressful.
According to Venkataraman, younger people are frequently better suited residing in smaller G+3 or G+4 buildings with less than 25 units, where community life is more laid back and regulations are typically less onerous. He claims that many big civilisations create a culture in which younger members are continuously watched or instructed on how to live.
He asserted that when citizens dispute arbitrary choices, some senior RWA members get angry because they anticipate unquestionable authority. Venkataraman claims that these committees frequently attempt to control everything from everyday lifestyle choices to visits and complaints.
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"Any slight inconvenience to their worldview being caused by anyone or any family in the society, they start imposing their views on how one should live in a home they are renting/owning in that society - who can come for a visit, who can't, who can complain, who can't, etc. And these old people who are also in charge of power - in RWA or society associations go on a power trip whenever anyone challenges them for an actual issue," he wrote.
After he related a personal story from his Hyderabadi housing community, the conversation gained momentum. He said that after a theft occurred at his house, he was told that the cameras were broken when he requested CCTV video on the residents' WhatsApp group. He suggested that homeowners install personal security cameras for safety since he was worried about security.
Venkataraman claimed that senior RWA members invited him to the clubhouse the next day and chastised him for bringing up the problem in public rather than resolving it. He said that instead of concentrating on the security breach itself, the discussion swiftly became combative, with several members accusing him of harming the society's reputation.
A Look At Viral Post
He also recalled one committee member allegedly dismissing his complaint sarcastically, implying that the RWA could not investigate every missing household item. Frustrated by the exchange, Venkataraman said he confronted the group and later exited the residents' WhatsApp chat.
His post resonated with many younger residents online, who shared similar experiences of excessive monitoring and micromanagement in gated societies. Several users complained about restrictions on visitors, scrutiny of bachelors, moral policing, and security guards profiling guests. Others said they often felt treated like outsiders despite paying high maintenance charges.
