DK Shivakumar to BlackBuck CEO: ‘Cannot blackmail government’
Shivakumar stated that repair work was already underway, and the contractors had been given a final deadline to fill the potholes by November
After a Bengaluru-based logistics tech company, BlackBuck, decided to relocate its office elsewhere from the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has responded by saying “blackmailing” or “threatening” the government will not work.
BlackBuck CEO and co-founder Rajesh Kumar Yabaji posted on X that the company has decided to exit ORR, listing several reasons for the move.
What CEO wrote
He wrote that pothole-ridden roads, extreme dust, and heavy traffic meant employees were spending an average of over 90 minutes one way commuting to office. He added that the situation did not appear likely to improve even in the next five years.
Also read: Andhra invites BlackBuck firm after its plan to exit potholed Bengaluru ORR stretch
Yabaji, who has lived and worked in Bellandur, Bengaluru, for the past nine years, said: “ORR (Bellandur) has been our ‘office + home’ for the last 9 years. But it’s now very, very hard to continue here (heartbroken emoji). We have decided to move out. Background: - Average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hrs (one way) - Roads full of potholes & dust, coupled with lowest…”
BlackBuck has a total market valuation of over Rs 10,900 crore. Operating since 2015 under the name Zinka Logistics Solutions, it has become one of India’s prominent digital logistics firms.
BlackBuck CEO’s social media post garnered a lot of attention and the state Congress government faced heavy criticism for bad roads in Bengaluru.
Shivakumar’s response
When Shivakumar was asked about Yabaji’s post, he said the government is there to serve the people and added that no company would leave the city.
Also read: Rolls-Royce opens largest global capability centre in Bengaluru
“But he cannot threaten the government. Blackmailing a government won't work. We have to serve the people of the state. Take this on record, no one will leave Bengaluru,” Shivakumar told NDTV on Thursday (September 17).
November deadline to fill potholes
On his X account, Shivakumar stated that repair work was already underway, and the contractors had been given a final deadline to fill the potholes by November.
“Bengaluru’s roads are getting the attention they need, and repair work is already underway. Funds have been allocated, contractors have started work and have been given strict deadlines. We are committed to providing our people with safer and smoother travel,” he wrote.
In another post, he added, “Contractors have been given a final deadline to fill the potholes by November to resolve the problem of potholes on Bengaluru's roads. Since a clean Bengaluru and smooth traffic are our goals, GBB will provide relief to the potholes as soon as possible.”