Wipro chief Azim Premji declines Karnataka CM's request to allow traffic through Bengaluru's Sarjapur campus

Bengaluru: Wipro founder-chairman Azim Premji has declined Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's request for allowing traffic through the company's Sarjapur campus, stressing that there's "no single-point solution or silver bullet" to Bengaluru's notorious congestion. 

In his letter dated September 19, Siddaramaiah had suggested exploring the possibility of allowing limited vehicular movement through the Wipro campus to ease the severe traffic congestion along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) at Iblur Junction during peak hours. 

The rare outreach came at a time when frustration among global IT firms and start-up is rising over the city’s crumbling infrastructure, and some companies announcing plans to move out. 

The letter was widely shared on social media, building public pressure on the company. Vehicle users demanded that opening the private campus would reduce the traffic congestion on Sarjapur road, ORR and Iblur Junction. 

In his response dated September 24, Premji pointed out significant "legal, governance and statutory challenges" in allowing the traffic and reminded the government that it is an exclusive private property owned by a listed company and not intended for public thoroughfare. 

Premji acknowledged the chief minister’s appeal and appreciated the government’s efforts to tackle Bengaluru’s growing congestion. But he stressed the urgent need for effective measures, particularly along the ORR, making it clear that opening Wipro’s campus was not a viable option. 

"Sarjapura 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 vehicle movement through a private property would not be effective as a sustainable and long-term solution," he said. 

Instead, Premji proposed a scientific and comprehensive study led by experts in urban transport management to chart out a holistic roadmap, while pointing out that the problem of congestion along the ORR is complex and stems from multiple factors. Wipro, he assured, is willing to underwrite a significant portion of the cost for such an exercise and be part of the solution. 

In a separate news release, Wipro said the most effective path forward was to commission a comprehensive, scientific study. "Such an exercise would allow us to develop a holistic roadmap of effective solutions that are implementable in the short, medium, and long term,” it added.