Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh has invited logistics technology firm BlackBuck to relocate operations to Visakhapatnam, after its co-founder Rajesh Yabaji publicly slammed Bengaluru’s poor road infrastructure.
Responding to Yabaji’s post about moving out of the company’s Bellandur office, Lokesh wrote on X: “Hi Rajesh, can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among top 5 cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infra, and have been rated the safest city for women. Please send me a DM
Yabaji had triggered a storm on social media with his sharp criticism of the Outer Ring Road (ORR). “Roads full of potholes and dust, coupled with the lowest intent to get them rectified,” he wrote, adding he expected no change “for at least five years.”
As the remarks went viral, users lashed out at Bengaluru’s civic mess. However, BlackBuck later clarified it was not leaving the city entirely. “We are just moving out of the Bellandur location, not out of Bengaluru. No question of moving out of the city. We are looking for an alternative option in Bengaluru,” the company said
The ORR, a hub for India’s IT sector, has long been dogged by heavy congestion and poor upkeep. Krishna Kumar Gowda, General Secretary of the Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association, said the warnings from top firms should push authorities to act.
He urged the government to roll out “a clear roadmap for upgrading roads, expanding metro connectivity and improving public utilities.”
The infrastructure debate intensified recently after a video by schoolchildren showing their bus navigating pothole-ridden streets went viral.
Facing mounting criticism, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar announced a ₹1,100 crore package for repairs and new roadworks. “Potholes must be filled within the deadline, and a timeline must be prepared and submitted to me.
The traffic police department must also provide details about potholes, and I have instructed that the public should be taken into confidence,” he said
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