BENGALURU: Industry bodies have termed the BlackBuck CEO’s decision to move out of Outer Ring Road (ORR) citing pathetic road infrastructure and traffic problems, as a serious wake-up call for the government. “The decision of BlackBuck to move out of the ORR must serve as a serious wake-up call. Bengaluru’s reputation as India’s tech capital rests on infrastructure and ease of doing business,” said Krishna Kumar Gowda, General Secretary of Greater Bengaluru IT Companies & Industries Association (GBITCIA), while urging the government to improve infrastructure and Metro connectivity among others.
While appreciating the interest shown by Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh in inviting BlackBuck to Visakhapatnam, GBITCIA emphasised that Bengaluru remains the leading tech hub in India and highlighted the urgent need for infrastructural reforms within the city. “Bengaluru has an unparalleled, unique ecosystem of talent, innovation and business networks,” Kumar noted.
He called upon the government to urgently address the infrastructure challenges outlined by firms like BlackBuck, including road safety and traffic congestion. He said a multi-pronged approach, including both short-term and long-term measures, should be taken to reduce traffic congestion on the ORR, targeting both immediate pain points and promoting long-term infrastructure upgrades.
Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FKCCI) President Balakrishna M G termed the matter as a wake-up and a serious warning. “The government must act fast -- fill potholes, build infrastructure and redeem Bengaluru’s sagging global image. Let’s not lose our pride as India’s tech and start-up capital,” he said.
Some of the industry bodies TNIE reached out to declined to comment. However, they said infrastructure plays a crucial role in holding companies and bringing in new investments and a city like Bengaluru needs world-class infra.
Brand guru Harish Bijoor said, “BlackBuck is moving out of Bellandur, but not out of Bengaluru. It’s not an easy thing for any startup or business to get out of Bengaluru. Once you are in Bengaluru, you continue to be in Bengaluru. Potholes, bad infrastructure, come what may, Bengaluru is an ecosystem on its own.”
He, however, said Bengaluru seriously has to buck up on its infrastructure. “Our deputy chief minister is in action and has put out a format of splitting the city into five corporations under the Greater Bengaluru Authority. The planning is done, the institutional corrections are done and it is time to act. We need to see how the five city corporation commissioners are going to tackle the multiple issues troubling Bengaluru,” Bijoor said.
He also said the city’s infamous traffic needs to be fixed on top priority. “We need to pull up our socks and become a better city. Otherwise, we need to demagnetise the city as it cannot accommodate a 1.65-crore population. We are made for a population of 85 lakh people,” he said.