‘Can’t Threaten Govt’: DK Shivakumar On BlackBuck CEO’s Bengaluru Exit Over Roads Condition

As BlackBuck’s co-founder Rajesh Yabaji announced to move out the logistics firm from Bengaluru, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar has assured that the Karnataka government is working to ensure that no company leaves the IT capital over infrastructure-related issues.

While speaking to NDTV over the logistics firm’s announcement, Shivakumar said that the decision to shift base may also be due to business issues and said anyone is free to move if they are not satisfied with the facilities and talent Bengaluru offers.

“But he cannot threaten the government. Blackmailing a government won’t work. We have to serve the people of the state. Take this on record, no one will leave Bengaluru,” he told the news outlet.

The Deputy Chief Minister

further highlighted that many areas where tech workers live are still governed by local village councils (panchayats) instead of the Greater Bengaluru Authority. This makes it difficult to provide proper city services. He said that the government is working to bring these areas under the authority’s control and have created a separate corporation to address the problems.

Meanwhile, IT industry leader and former Infosys CFO Mohandas Pai, who earlier flagged misgovernance over the condition of Bengaluru, slammed the Deputy Chief Minister, saying that no one is blackmailing the government but the citizens are suffering a lot.

He also accused the government of failing to even repair roads and manage traffic of the capital city.

“Minister @DKShivakumar this is no blackmail. When govt does not do its job, minister do not keep promises repeatedly. Citizens suffer much what are they supposed to do? Govt has failed to even repair roads, manage traffic. You have been in power 2.5 years. You are a very very strong Minister and if lower level officials fail you regularly where is the hope? Govt is supposed to deliver,” he said in post on X.

Minister @DKShivakumar this is no blackmail. When govt does not do its job, minister do not keep promises repeatedly. Citizens suffer much what are they supposed to do? Govt has failed to even repair roads, manage traffic. You have been in power 2.5 years. You are a very very… https://t.co/BJAtRfkiCP

— Mohandas Pai (@TVMohandasPai) September 18, 2025

These remarks came days after the online trucking platform CEO and co-founder on Tuesday announced through a social media post that the company has decided to move out of its current location at Bellandur on Bengaluru’s Outer Ring Road (ORR), citing “worsening infrastructure and commute issues” in the metropolis.

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’.

Yabaji said that the average commute for his colleagues was more than one and half hours one way. The roads are riddled with potholes and dust, “with little intent to fix them” he said, adding he didn’t expect it to change in the next five years.

An X thread that went viral captured the mood of many residents. Yogesh (@Spartacus_Tweet) called the property rates in Bellandur “massively overvalued,” comparing builders’ asking prices to “Chicago and Dubai for the infrastructure of Somalia.”

As the comments spread widely online, many users seized upon them to criticise Bengaluru’s civic conditions.

The Deputy Chief Minister had later assured that Bengaluru’s roads are getting the attention they need, and work to repair them is on. He also set a deadline of November for contractors to repair potholes on Bengaluru roads.

Under pressure from criticism over Bengaluru’s poor roads and civic infrastructure, Shivakumar said the repair work is underway to fill potholes and contractors have been given “strict” deadlines.