Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Urges Wipro Chairman Azim Premji to Limit Employee Commute

Bengaluru, while being an IT hub, is also known for its extensive traffic congestion. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written a letter to Azim Premji, founder of Wipro, to address the traffic issues on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road. He has appealed to Wipro to allow only a limited number of vehicles to access their premises.

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has requested Azim Premji to consider allowing limited vehicle movement from the Wipro campus under mutually agreed terms. The Outer Ring Road, a major artery in Bengaluru's IT corridor, frequently experiences severe traffic congestion.

Siddaramaiah commended Wipro's consistent contribution to the state's IT ecosystem and overall socio-economic development. He highlighted the significant impact of traffic congestion, particularly during peak hours at the Iblur Junction on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) corridor, negatively affecting Bengaluru's mobility, productivity, and quality of urban life.

CM's Request to Premji

In a letter to Premji, the Chief Minister proposed exploring the possibility of allowing limited vehicle movement from the Wipro campus, subject to mutually agreed terms and necessary safety considerations. Preliminary assessments by traffic and urban mobility experts suggest this measure could reduce congestion around the ORR, particularly during peak office hours, by approximately 30%.

Request for Limited Vehicle Access to Wipro Campus

The letter stated: “In this context, I wish to explore the possibility of permitting limited vehicle movement from the Wipro campus, subject to mutually agreed terms and necessary safety considerations. Preliminary assessments by traffic and urban mobility experts indicate that such a measure could potentially reduce congestion in the areas around the ORR, especially during peak office hours, by approximately 30%.”

Improving Commuter Experience

Siddaramaiah sought Wipro's founder chairman's cooperation in this matter, emphasizing that it would significantly contribute to mitigating traffic bottlenecks, improving commuter experiences, and creating a more efficient and liveable Bengaluru. He added, “I would be most grateful if your team could work with our officials to formulate a mutually agreeable plan at the earliest.”

Traffic Woes Prompt Companies to Relocate

Recently, online trucking platform Blackbuck decided to relocate its operations from its current location in Bellandur on Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing issues with commute and road infrastructure. This prompted industry leaders, including Infosys' former CFO Mohandas Pai and Biocon Chairperson Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, to urge the state government for immediate intervention.