Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah recently wrote to Wipro founder Azim Premji seeking permission to allow limited public vehicular movement through Wipro’s Sarjapur campus. The aim was to reduce the severe traffic congestion on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), especially near the Iblur junction. Preliminary studies by traffic experts indicated this could cut congestion by nearly 30% during peak hours.
Why Did Premji Say No?
Azim Premji declined the request, citing several key reasons. First, the Sarjapur campus is private property and part of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). This status brings strict legal, governance, and contractual rules that do not permit public access. The campus operates global IT services under tight security and compliance requirements, making public traffic impractical.
Premji emphasized that allowing public vehicular movement would present significant operational and security challenges and would not be a sustainable, long-term solution for Bengaluru’s traffic problems.
Wipro’s Willingness to Help
While rejecting the request to open the campus road, Premji expressed Wipro’s commitment to cooperating with the Karnataka government. He proposed a data-driven, scientific approach to solving Bengaluru’s complex traffic issues. Premji offered to fund a significant portion of a comprehensive expert-led urban mobility study.
The goal of this study would be to develop a realistic roadmap with practical short, medium, and long-term solutions for easing traffic congestion around the ORR and other parts of the city.
Background: Bengaluru Traffic Crisis
Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road is a major IT corridor with many tech parks, including Wipro’s campus. It frequently suffers from severe traffic jams during office hours, leading to major delays and decreased productivity. The traffic police’s simulation study highlighted that opening the Wipro campus road could save around 14 minutes for 2000 vehicles during peak periods.
Despite the potential benefits, Premji’s response highlights the complexity of urban traffic issues and the need for thoughtful, collaborative solutions rather than quick fixes.
Conclusion
Azim Premji’s response to the Karnataka CM reflects a careful balance between addressing public concerns and safeguarding corporate operational integrity. Wipro’s proposal to support expert studies shows a willingness to help find sustainable and effective ways to improve Bengaluru’s traffic conditions.
