Karnataka CM seeks Azim Premji’s help to ease Bengaluru ORR traffic

Dubai: Seeking to address Bengaluru’s notorious traffic congestion, particularly along the city’s tech-heavy Outer Ring Road (ORR), Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to Wipro founder-chairman Azim Premji, urging his support to ease bottlenecks near Iblur Junction.

According to IANS, Siddaramaiah in his September 19 letter praised Wipro’s “continued contribution to Karnataka’s IT ecosystem and socio-economic development” before proposing a novel solution: Allowing limited vehicular movement through Wipro’s campus under mutually agreed terms and security safeguards.

The chief minister noted that traffic experts estimate such an arrangement could cut congestion by nearly 30 per cent during peak hours.

“Your support in this matter will go a long way in easing traffic bottlenecks, enhancing commuter experience, and contributing to a more efficient and livable Bengaluru,” Siddaramaiah wrote, requesting Wipro’s team to work with state officials on a plan.

According to PTI, Siddaramaiah stressed that the ORR — home to hundreds of IT companies — remains one of the city’s most choked corridors, undermining mobility and productivity.

His appeal comes amid mounting frustration from industry leaders, with online trucking platform BlackBuck briefly threatening to shift out of its Bellandur office over poor infrastructure before later reversing its decision and pledging to expand in Bengaluru.

Potholes, dust and lack of road repairs

BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji had complained that average one-way commutes for his employees had shot up to 1.5 hours due to potholes, dust and lack of road repairs. The company later clarified it was only relocating within Bengaluru, not leaving the city, while reiterating calls for urgent government action.

Industry veterans, including former Infosys CFO T.V. Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, have also sounded alarms.

Pai, tagging state ministers and officials in a social media post, called the situation a “big failure of governance,” while Mazumdar-Shaw demanded “emergency measures” to fix Bengaluru’s roads.

According to ANI, Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar responded on Tuesday, saying the issue was being blown out of proportion, noting that “even the road leading up to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence in Delhi has potholes.” He claimed nearly 1,000 potholes are being filled daily across Bengaluru through coordinated efforts, with officials directed to submit progress reports.

The worsening traffic and crumbling infrastructure along the ORR — which hosts major tech parks and offices of global IT giants — has become a flashpoint between industry leaders and the state government. Siddaramaiah’s appeal to Azim Premji marks the latest attempt to enlist corporate cooperation to ease Bengaluru’s urban gridlock.