DK Shivakumar Sets November Deadline To Fix Bengaluru’s Potholes After CEO's Relocation Post

Bengaluru faces scrutiny over crumbling roads after BlackBuck CEO's viral post highlighted unbearable commutes.

Bengaluru, despite being India’s technology hub, has long struggled with traffic congestion and failing road infrastructure.

Source : X/@vijeshetty

Bengaluru’s crumbling road infrastructure has come under fresh scrutiny after Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar issued a strict deadline to contractors, directing them to repair pothole-ridden stretches by November. The move follows widespread outrage triggered by a viral post from BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji, who announced his logistics tech firm would vacate its Outer Ring Road (ORR) office due to unbearable commute conditions.

'Contractors Given Final Deadline': DK Shivakumar

Shivakumar stressed that the government would not tolerate further delays. "Contractors have been given a final deadline to fill the potholes within November to resolve the problem of potholes on Bengaluru's roads. Since a clean Bengaluru and smooth traffic are our goals, GBB will provide relief to the potholes as soon as possible," he said.

ಬೆಂಗಳೂರಿನ ರಸ್ತೆ ಗುಂಡಿಗಳ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಯನ್ನು ಬಗೆಹರಿಸಲು ನವೆಂಬರ್ ಒಳಗೆ ರಸ್ತೆ ಗುಂಡಿಗಳನ್ನು ಮುಚ್ಚುವಂತೆ ಗುತ್ತಿಗೆದಾರರಿಗೆ ಅಂತಿಮ ಗಡುವು ನೀಡಲಾಗಿದೆ. ಸ್ವಚ್ಛ ಬೆಂಗಳೂರು ಹಾಗೂ ಸುಗಮ ಸಂಚಾರವೇ ನಮ್ಮ ಗುರಿಯಾಗಿರುವುದರಿಂದ ಆದಷ್ಟು ಬೇಗ ರಸ್ತೆ ಗುಂಡಿಗಳಿಗೆ ಜಿಬಿಎ ಮುಕ್ತಿ ನೀಡಲಿದೆ. pic.twitter.com/wJWr7mTfgx

— DK Shivakumar (@DKShivakumar) September 17, 2025

To address the crisis, the state has announced a Rs 694 crore road improvement initiative involving black topping of 182 roads covering 349 km, reported NDTV. The plan also includes drainage upgrades to prevent waterlogging, a recurring cause of road damage, with the goal of ensuring pothole-free surfaces post-asphalting.

The renewed urgency comes after Yabaji’s post on X went viral, drawing attention to the challenges faced by employees in the city’s IT corridor. “The average one-way commute for our employees now exceeds 1.5 hours,” he wrote, lamenting dust-filled, pothole-ridden roads and what he called a lack of intent to improve them. BlackBuck, which has operated from Bellandur for nine years, confirmed it will vacate the ORR office but clarified that it has no plans to leave Bengaluru altogether.

Andhra Minister Invites CEO To Vizag 

The post sparked debate far beyond the city. AP Minister Nara Lokesh even extended an invitation for BlackBuck to relocate to Visakhapatnam, touting it as one of India’s cleanest and safest cities. “Can I interest you in relocating your company to Vizag? We are rated among top 5 cleanest cities in India, are building best-in-class infra, and have been rated the safest city for women. Please send me a DM,” he wrote on X.

Bengaluru, despite being India’s technology hub, has long struggled with traffic congestion and failing road infrastructure.