'Little intent to fix them': How potholes have led the Blackbuck CEO to shut office in Bengaluru

Bengaluru may be India’s tech capital, but its roads tell a very different story. For thousands of commuters, the daily ride to work feels less like a drive and more like a battle.

Now, the problem has gone beyond grumbling commuters. Rajesh Yabaji, CEO of logistics unicorn BlackBuck, has decided to shut his company’s office on the city’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), saying the long commute made it “very hard to continue” there.

Are Bengaluru’s potholes really that bad? Could this push more companies to rethink their place in India’s Silicon Valley? And how are the authorities responding? Here’s a closer look.

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Blackbuck CEO’s post on quitting Bengaluru

On September 16, Rajesh Yabaji, CEO of logistics unicorn BlackBuck, took to social media to announce that the company had shut its office in Bellandur, along Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road, because of the city’s crumbling infrastructure.

“We have decided to move out,” Yabaji wrote on X, explaining that the average one-way commute for his employees was now more than an hour and a half.

The roads, he said, were full of potholes and dust, with “little intent to fix them,” adding that he didn’t see the situation improving “in the next five years.”

ORR (Bellandur) has been our “office + home” for the last 9 years. But it’s now very-very hard to continue here. 💔

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…

— Rajesh Yabaji (@YABAJI) September 16, 2025

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His post quickly grabbed attention, sparking conversations about whether Bengaluru’s failing infrastructure is beginning to drive businesses away.

Soon after, BlackBuck’s corporate team stepped in to clarify. In a statement, the company stressed, “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.”

Bellandur, once a shining address for global IT giants, now finds itself associated more with broken roads, choking dust, and a civic system that many believe has simply stopped keeping up with the city’s growth.

Also read: Traffic Woes: How Bengaluru's vehicular congestion has led to a loss of nearly Rs 20,000 crore

Bengaluru’s pothole-ridden reality

At the heart of the outrage is the Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch between Silk Board and KR Puram, the city’s busiest IT corridor that houses over 500 companies and close to a million professionals.

Despite being one of the biggest revenue generators for Bengaluru’s civic body, the stretch offers commuters little to celebrate.

Traffic here has jumped by 45 per cent compared to last year, worsening an already grim situation, according to The Times of India.

Built in phases between 1996 and 2002, the 60-km ORR was originally designed to connect highways, divert heavy vehicles like trucks away from the city centre, and ease congestion. But what was meant to be a relief road has now turned into a choke point, thanks to the mushrooming of tech parks and residential complexes along both sides.

This is not a road, it’s a pond with potholes.

Welcome to the everyday struggle of Bengaluru commuters. Paying taxes for swimming pools on the streets instead of smooth roads. pic.twitter.com/kbrWYuOpxk

— #YeThikKarkeDikhao (@YTKDIndia) August 18, 2025

The southeastern stretch, connecting Whitefield and Sarjapur Road, has become the core of the city’s IT belt. But with poor road design and no real alternatives, even the smallest disruption is enough to paralyse traffic across the corridor.

And the issue isn’t limited to Bellandur. A TOI survey across five city stretches found deep craters, some poorly barricaded, others patched with uneven cement that washed away at the first sign of rain.

For commuters, the roads have become “death traps.” One resident bluntly said, “Nobody wants to drive on pothole-ridden roads.”

Earlier, a video shot by three schoolchildren during a jolting bus ride went viral, capturing the daily struggle faced by countless Bengalureans.

Girl Student’s Clip Exposes Bengaluru’s Broken Roads, Missed Classes and Injuries

Today morning, Bengaluru witnessed yet shocking incident: a school bus toppled over on the Panathur–Balagere stretch. The reason? Our “world-class” roads riddled with potholes, craters, and poor… pic.twitter.com/zlK4eJKr7f

— Karnataka Portfolio (@karnatakaportf) September 12, 2025

Meanwhile, in Judicial Layout, home to judges, IAS officers, and senior government officials, residents have resorted to poetry, penning verses about the state of the roads and sending them to the Prime Minister’s Office, TOI reported.

Also read: Watch | Overnight rains leave India’s tech capital Bengaluru roads waterlogged, cars submerged

Growing frustration among businesses, residents

Yabaji’s post clearly struck a nerve. Thousands of responses poured in from employees, entrepreneurs, and everyday residents, many echoing the same frustrations about Bengaluru’s failing infrastructure.

Former Infosys CFO and Aarin Capital chairman TV Mohandas Pai didn’t mince words.

Reacting to the state of Bengaluru’s roads and the possibility of tech firms moving out, he wrote: “Big big failure of governance in Bengaluru. Minister @DKShivakumar please see, cos are moving out of ORR. Situation beyond hope. Please intervene.”

Biocon founder Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw reposted Pai’s comment and added her own alarm: “This is serious. Emergency measures needed to fix these issues.”

Others shared how the city’s civic neglect had worn them down.

“Been a victim of this mess for 15+ yrs—stormwater drains, sewage, electricity, proper roads—total neglect,” one user wrote, capturing a sentiment many agreed with.

🚨 Today, a school bus almost toppled on Balagere–Panathur Road due to massive potholes & waterlogging. Children had to be pulled out.

Who is taking responsibility for this? Do we wait for a tragedy before action is taken?@CMofKarnataka @bbmpcommr @BlrCityPolice… pic.twitter.com/18zyh9eMwv

— Bhavesh Chauhan (@bhaveshch79) September 12, 2025

Another tagged Deputy CM DK Shivakumar directly, criticising the lack of metro progress and accusing the government of “just looting hard-earned taxpayer money.”

DK Shivakumar assures action

Amid growing outrage, Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar stepped in with assurances. He announced a Rs 1,100-crore plan for road repair and construction, promising that all constituencies would soon see smooth, pothole-free roads.

He laid down strict timelines for the work. “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,” Shivakumar said.

The minister also warned that civic officials would be held accountable for shoddy work. To ensure improvements, he directed city commissioners to conduct regular inspections.

At the same time, he asked citizens to play their part. “We have to deliver, make sure every citizen is helped. All the problems of Bangalore city cannot be solved in one day. I know it takes time. Our citizens should also cooperate. They should declare their assets. They should not hide anything. They should pay taxes regularly, and they will get good governance,” he added.

With input from agencies