Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road Companies Association raises concern over water shortage

Bengaluru is currently grappling with one of its most severe water crises even before the peak of summer

Bengaluru's Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), representing technology parks, IT/ITeS companies, and software development and research centers along the city's tech corridor (17 km from KR Puram to Central Silk Board), on March 6 raised concerns over shortage of water supply.

Krishna Kumar Gowda, operations manager at ORRCA, said, "It is concerning to note the overall shortage of water supply, impacting households, office complexes, and campuses."

"As responsible citizens, all companies and tech parks should implement measures to conserve water, in addition to their ongoing efforts in this regard. ORRCA urges the BWSSB and relevant authorities to take appropriate measures to bridge the gap between demand and supply for both corporate entities and residences," he said.

Also, read: First floods, now dry days: Decoding tech hub Bengaluru’s water woes

Manas Das, President of ORRCA, told Moneycontrol, "Water shortage is a reality. While operations are currently unaffected, continued scarcity could potentially impact us in the future. It is imperative for all companies to regulate water consumption to mitigate this crisis."

According to ORRCA, IT firms along the ORR contribute $22 billion, or 32 percent, to Bengaluru’s total IT revenue. Industry associations, including NASSCOM, have requested the declaration of the 17-km ORR stretch from Central Silk Board to KR Puram as a separate municipal zone. Corporates in Real Estate (CiRE) have also urged the government to entrust the management of the 30-km ORR stretch from Hebbal to Central Silk Board to them.

As per an ORRCA report, the tech corridor employs 9.5 lakh people across 500 companies, and 36 percent of Bengaluru's annual IT revenue ($32.68 billion) comes from the KR Puram to Silk Board section of the ORR.

ORR, serving as the nerve center for the city's technology sector, faces various challenges. Traffic congestion on Bengaluru's tech corridor costs $15 billion per year, according to the ORRCA.

A recent report submitted by ORRCA to the Karnataka government as part of 'Brand Bengaluru' campaign, a copy of which is with Moneycontrol, stated that the average peak hour speed on Outer Ring Road is 4.4 kmph, and the congestion queue extends to more than 3 km during peak hours. Areas like Bellandur, Marathahalli, and Sarjapur Road experienced flooding during heavy rains. ORRCA highlighted a revenue loss of Rs 225 crore due to heavy rains and flooding on ORR on August 30, 2022.

Also, read: Traffic congestion in Bengaluru's tech corridor costs $15 bn annually: Outer Ring Road Companies Association