Karnataka's Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has made an unexpected request to one of India’s esteemed business magnates, urging Wipro founder Azim Premji to permit public vehicles on part of the company’s private campus road.

The proposal, intended to alleviate severe traffic congestion on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), emphasizes how infrastructure deficiencies are compelling the state to seek corporate assistance in addressing civic issues.

Siddaramaiah stated that "Initial evaluations by traffic and urban mobility specialists indicate that this action might lower congestion on nearby sections of the ORR by almost 30 percent, especially during peak office times."

The Chief Minister stated that Wipro's partnership “would significantly help reduce traffic congestion, enhance the commuter experience, and make Bengaluru more efficient and livable.”

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At the heart of the discussion is Wipro’s Ecoworld campus, situated close to Iblur junction, a major bottleneck on the ORR–Sarjapur Road corridor. The campus road system links Sarjapur Road to the Devarabeesanahalli junction. It was temporarily accessible to the public a few years back, but subsequently shut down to ensure corporate traffic management.

With gridlock increasing on the ORR — which houses many of Bengaluru’s major tech parks — the government aims to reroute some traffic via Wipro’s internal roadway network.

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For Bengaluru's tech industry, the concern extends beyond just easing traffic. The ORR corridor is home to firms such as Infosys, Accenture, Cisco, Goldman Sachs, and numerous Indian startups. Congestion has turned into a reputational threat, as at least one logistics technology company is said to be moving from the corridor due to persistent delays.

The Chief Minister's letter was welcomed by the Greater Bengaluru IT Companies and Industries Association (GBITCIA), which called it “a proactive proposal.”

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In a statement, the organization remarked: “Our organization is prepared to work together with government bodies, corporate partners, and community organizations to guarantee the effective realization of the Wipro campus project. This effort, combined with extensive infrastructure enhancements, will aid in reinstating worldwide trust in Bengaluru’s IT sector and maintaining its status as India’s technology hub.”