Why BlackBuck plans to move out of Bengaluru after 9 years

Online trucking platform BlackBuck co-founder & CEO Rajesh Yabaji on Tuesday said that the company has decided to move out of its current location at Bellandur on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing commuting and road infrastructure issues.

IMAGE: The development comes days after a video shot by three school children during their bumpy bus ride in Bengaluru went viral. Photograph via video grab

The ORR, which is one of the IT corridors in the city, often witnesses traffic congestion.

“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,” Yabaji said in a post on ‘X’.

“Background: Average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hrs (one way).

“Roads full of potholes & dust, coupled with lowest intent to get them rectified.

“Didn’t see any of this changing in the next 5 years,” he added.

In another development, Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh on Wednesday invited online trucking platform BlackBuck to relocate its operations to Visakhapatnam after its co-founder complained of “worsening infrastructure and commute issues” in Bengaluru.

Lokesh in a post on ‘X’ said, “Can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among top five cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infra, and have been rated the safest city for women.”

Meanwhile, Krishna Kumar Gowda, general secretary, Greater Bengaluru IT Companies & Industries Association said, the association expresses deep concern over the continued infrastructure neglect along ORR, exemplified by slow-moving traffic, endless potholes, and unreliable commute times.

“The decision of leading firms to move out highlights the urgent need for government intervention.

“We call for a transparent roadmap to improve roads, metro connectivity and public utilities, and reiterate our willingness to collaborate with authorities to restore Bengaluru’s status as the tech capital of India,” he said in a statement.

This comes days after a video shot by three school children during their bumpy bus ride in Bengaluru had gone viral, exposing the condition of the roads in the city, and daily struggles faced by the commuters.

Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar on September 14 had said the city is set for a major push in road development with Rs 1,100 crore allocated for repair and construction.

“We are committed to ensuring every constituency benefits from these funds and to building smooth, pothole-free roads across the city,” he had said.