Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has requested IT major Wipro to allow limited vehicular access through its campus on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in a bid to ease the city’s notorious traffic congestion.
Proposal to reduce traffic by 30%
According to officials, permitting controlled vehicular movement inside the Wipro campus could help reduce congestion on adjoining stretches of ORR by nearly 30 per cent, particularly during peak office hours.
The Chief Minister, in his communication to Wipro founder Azim Premji, emphasised that the measure could provide much-needed relief to daily commuters on the stretch, which is one of Bengaluru’s busiest IT corridors.
ORR under spotlight for traffic woes
The proposal comes amid mounting criticism of the government’s handling of civic and traffic issues on the ORR. Recently, Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder of logistics technology firm BlackBuck, announced that the company would vacate its Bellandur office due to the poor state of roads in the area.
Yabaji wrote on social media that ORR was notorious for “roads full of potholes and dust, coupled with the lowest intent to get them rectified,” adding that he did not expect improvements for at least five years.
His remarks triggered widespread debate on social media and renewed calls for the government to act.
Political backlash and government response
The controversy drew sharp criticism from Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy, who accused the Congress-led government of incompetence and corruption. He described Bengaluru as the “City of Potholes”, alleging that industries were losing faith and shifting to neighbouring states.
Kumaraswamy further said that the government had “trampled on the pride of Kannadigas” by neglecting basic infrastructure and civic development.
In response, Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, defended the administration’s record. He announced a budget of ₹1,100 crore for road repair and construction across the city.
“Since our goal is a clean Bengaluru and smooth traffic movement, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) will ensure that potholes are cleared at the earliest. Contractors have been given a final deadline to complete repairs by November,” Shivakumar said.
Way forward
While Siddaramaiah’s outreach to Wipro signals a collaborative approach between the government and private sector, the proposal awaits the company’s response. If implemented, it could set a precedent for similar public-private partnerships to address traffic congestion in other parts of the city.
For now, Bengaluru residents await concrete action to bring relief from traffic bottlenecks and poor road conditions that continue to plague the tech hub.