How can Wipro help reduce Bengaluru traffic? Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah makes a request to Azim Premji

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sought the help of Wipro founder chairman Azim Premji to address the issue of traffic congestion on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road (ORR), one of the IT corridors in the city, which often witnesses heavy traffic.

Commuters and civic groups have been raising concerns over the traffic congestion on the Outer Ring Road. Recently, Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder and CEO of BlackBuck, in a social media post, announced that the company has decided to move out of ORR (Bellandur), which has been their “office + home” for the last nine years. 

"We have decided to move out.

Background:

- Average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hrs (one way)

- Roads full of potholes & dust, coupled with lowest intent to get them rectified

- Didn’t see any of this changing in the next 5 years," he wrote.

Industry veterans in Bengaluru, including former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, had urged the Congress-led government to immediately intervene in the matter, following the decision by BlackBuck.

In a letter to Premji, CM Siddaramaiah requested the Wipro founder to consider allowing limited vehicular movement through the company's campus, subject to mutually agreed terms.

Siddaramaiah highlighted that one of the key challenges currently facing Bengaluru, particularly along the Outer Ring Road corridor at Iblur junction, is severe traffic jams during peak hours, which affects mobility, productivity, and the quality of urban life.

"In this context, I wish to explore the possibility of allowing limited vehicular movement through the Wipro campus, subject to mutually agreed terms and necessary security considerations. Preliminary assessments by traffic and urban mobility experts indicate that such a measure could reduce congestion on adjoining stretches of the ORR by nearly 30 per cent, particularly during peak office hours," the letter from the CM read.

The CM said allowing limited vehicular movement will go a long way in easing traffic bottlenecks, enhancing commuter experience, and contributing to a more efficient and livable Bengaluru.

 "I would greatly appreciate it if your team could engage with our officials to work out a mutually acceptable plan at the earliest," the CM added.