BlackBuck ORR exit row: DK Shivakumar says govt won’t be blackmailed; officials inspect tech corridor, claim congestion will drop by up to 40%

ORR

Karnataka deputy CM DK Shivakumar on September 18 dismissed concerns over logistics firm BlackBuck’s decision to exit the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), insisting that the state government “will not be blackmailed.”

“They can threaten or blackmail if they want-we are least bothered. We will do our job,” Shivakumar told reporters at Vidhana Soudha.

His remarks came after BlackBuck co-founder Rajesh Yabaji said on September 16 that the company was moving out of ORR, citing long commutes that made it “very hard to continue” operations there.

Also, read: BlackBuck to move out of Bengaluru’s ORR, co-founder Rajesh Yabaji blames bad roads, traffic

However, Yabaji on September 18 clarified that the company is only relocating to another location within Bengaluru, but its decision to move out of ORR over poor infrastructure has triggered a row in Karnataka.

He said that it was natural for roads to develop potholes during the rainy season and added that MLAs had been instructed to use their local area grants to address the problem.

Opposition slams govt over ‘City of Potholes’

The opposition has sharpened its attack. Union minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said Bengaluru’s reputation has been reduced to that of a ‘city of potholes;, accusing the Congress government of incompetence and corruption. He alleged that taxpayers’ money was being wasted while the city crumbled under potholes, garbage, and mismanagement. “Industries are right in calling this an utter failure of governance,” Kumaraswamy said in a statement on X, adding that neighbouring states were wooing companies disillusioned with Karnataka.

Shivakumar countered by questioning Kumaraswamy’s contributions as a Union minister. He also accused him of politicising civic issues by encouraging schoolchildren to write letters to the Prime Minister.

‘Bengaluru offers unmatched talent’

Shivakumar brushed aside TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh IT minister Nara Lokesh’s invitation to companies to shift to Andhra Pradesh, saying Bengaluru’s ecosystem was unmatched. He said that the city has 25 lakh engineers compared to California’s 13 lakh, and that more than two lakh foreigners work in Bengaluru, making it a global hub for talent and innovation. He further alleged that the Union government had not released a single rupee for the city’s development.

Also, read: 'Why not move to Vizag,' Nara Lokesh asks BlackBuck CEO leaving Bengaluru's ORR

Babus inspect ORR

Amid the controversy, senior government officials on September 18 inspected the ORR stretch from Silk Board to Hebbal. Additional Chief Secretary (Urban Development) Tushar Giri Nath directed departments to carry out immediate measures, including pothole repairs, road resurfacing, junction upgrades, drainage improvements and accelerated white-topping.

“Officials were also instructed to design 20 entry and exit ramps along ORR to ease vehicle transitions between service roads and the main carriageway, an initiative expected to reduce congestion by 30 to 40 percent. Departments such as BMRCL, BWSSB and BESCOM were reminded to restore roads after completing their works and to install signage holding them accountable for any damage caused”, a statement said.

During the inspection, officials reviewed measures to address waterlogging at Silk Board Junction, complete white-topping around Agara Lake, construct a skywalk and study the feasibility of a “magic box” underpass at Iblur Junction. Development works were also discussed for Agara, Bellandur, Kadubeesanahalli, Nagavara and Hebbal junctions, along with steps to address flooding near Ecospace and road damage in HSR Layout, the statement adds.

Also, read: Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road at breaking point: Traffic woes, poor infra trigger outrage