Wipro founder Azim Premji on Thursday refused to give the Karnataka government access to the company's campus land to ease the traffic on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) in Bengaluru. In a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, he said he appreciates his leadership for initiatives related to traffic congestion in Bengaluru, but stressed the problem's 'complexity' suggests that there is "unlikely to be a single point solution or a silver bullet to resolve it".
'Comprehensive study needed'
Premji stated that a 'comprehensive and scientific' study needs to be conducted to find a solution to this problem. Such a study, Premji said, would help in developing a holistic roadmap to find solutions "that are implementable in the short, medium, and long term". He said Wipro will be pleased to "engage in this process and underwrite a significant portion of the cost for this expert study".
"With respect to the specific suggestion of allowing public vehicular movement through our Sarjapur campus, we apprehend significant legal, governance, and statutory challenges since it is an exclusive private property owned by a listed company not intended for public thoroughfare," he stated in his letter.
"That apart, it will also be appreciated that our Sarjapur campus is a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) providing services to global customers, our contractual conditions mandate stringent, non-negotiable access control norms for governance and compliance. Moreover, public vehicular movement through a private property would not be effective as a sustainable, long-term solution."
'Wipro committed to Karnataka govt'
Premji asserted that Wipro remains committed to partner with the Karnataka government to find a 'lasting solution' to Bengaluru's traffic issue. "We believe a collaborative, data-driven approach will yield the most impactful results for our city," he said.
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