Says a ‘comprehensive, scientific study’ is needed for a long-term solution to Bengaluru’s congestion problem
Bengaluru:
Wipro founder Azim Premji on Thursday declined the Karnataka government’s request to provide access to the company’s campus land to help decongest traffic on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR). In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Premji praised the CM’s efforts to tackle the city’s traffic woes but emphasised that the issue is highly “complex” and “unlikely to have a single-point solution or a silver bullet.”
Comprehensive study needed’
Premji stated that a ‘comprehensive and scientific’ study needs to be conducted to find a solution to this problem. Such a study, Premji said, would help in developing a holistic roadmap to find solutions “that are implementable in the short, medium, and long term”. He said Wipro will be pleased to “engage in this process and underwrite a significant portion of the cost for this expert study”.
“In response to the proposal of allowing public vehicles through our Sarjapur campus, we foresee significant legal, governance, and regulatory hurdles, as the land is an exclusive private property owned by a listed company and not meant for public passage,” Premji wrote in his letter.
He further explained that the Sarjapur campus functions as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) serving global clients, and the company’s contractual obligations require strict, non-negotiable access controls for compliance and governance. “Additionally, opening private property to public traffic would not offer a sustainable, long-term solution,” he added.
‘Wipro committed to supporting the government’
Premji reiterated that Wipro is committed to working with the Karnataka government to develop a ‘lasting solution’ to Bengaluru’s traffic crisis. “We believe that a collaborative, data-driven approach will deliver the most impactful results for our city,” he said.
Gaurav Chaudhary 
Harsh Kumar