Bengaluru: In a scathing social media post, BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji has announced that the logistics unicorn is preparing to shift its operations out of Bengaluru after nine years in Bellandur. The reason: unbearable road conditions, endless potholes, and exhausting travel times.
“Bellandur has been our office and our home for nine years. But it has become nearly impossible to continue here. Our colleagues spend over 90 minutes for a one-way commute, the roads are riddled with potholes and dust, and there’s not even a basic intention to fix them. We have decided to move out,” Yabaji wrote on X.
His post has triggered a storm, with industry veterans like Mohandas Pai and Biocon’s Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw backing his frustration and tagging Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, demanding urgent intervention. Pai pointed out that the Outer Ring Road corridor alone houses nearly 9 crore sq. ft. of office space and 8 lakh employees, making it one of the most crucial corporate hubs in the world.
Despite repeated promises from CM Siddaramaiah and DCM Shivakumar to repair Bengaluru’s crumbling roads, little has changed on the ground, Yabaji and Pai noted. “The government spends lakhs of crores in budgets, yet the city’s roads remain unmotorable. If things continue, companies will shift to Hyderabad or Noida,” Pai warned.
Shivakumar, who has promised to fill over 20,000 potholes, recently directed civic officials to complete all patchworks on priority and submit daily progress reports. However, startups and global firms along the ORR remain skeptical, citing years of broken promises and worsening infrastructure.
The BlackBuck CEO’s move highlights a dangerous trend: Bengaluru’s startup and IT giants openly questioning the city’s ability to support business, with fears of an exodus to competing hubs gaining momentum.
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