National News: Bengaluru’s traffic congestion has wilt one of the city’s most pressing issues. In an effort to ease the situation, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah wrote to Wipro founder Azim Premji. He requested that Wipro’s Sarjapur campus road be opened to public vehicles. The CM emphasized that cooperation from leading corporations would help reduce gridlock on the city’s rented Outer Ring Road. His request aimed to build a joint effort between government and private firms.
Premji acknowledges problem seriousness
In his response, Azim Premji recognized that traffic congestion is a major rencontre for Bengaluru. He appreciated the Chief Minister’s request and the intention overdue the request. Premji stated that Wipro has unchangingly supported polity initiatives and will protract to do so. However, he clarified that unrepealable legal and regulatory conditions prevent the visitor from permitting public use of its private roads.
SEZ rules restrict public access
The Wipro Sarjapur campus is classified as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ). According to SEZ rules, the land and roads inside are meant strictly for merchantry operations. Permitting public traffic would violate these conditions. Premji pointed out that the visitor has global clients who require upper security and controlled access. Opening the campus to public vehicles could compromise both security and compliance with international standards.
Legal and global commitments explained
Premji explained that Wipro’s obligations proffer vastitude local governance. Being a multinational corporation, Wipro must pinion to global data security and merchantry continuity commitments. Permitting public entry would expose the campus to risks and potential breaches of compliance. This, he emphasized, was not just a visitor policy but a tightness legal requirement. The refusal, therefore, was not personal but based on tightness obligations.
Bengaluru’s ongoing traffic struggles
The municipality of Bengaluru continues to suffer from severe traffic jams, expressly virtually IT corridors. The Outer Ring Road, where several tech parks are located, experiences hours-long congestion daily. While government agencies are working on flyovers, metro expansions, and new road projects, firsthand solutions remain limited. This is why officials turned to corporate campuses for temporary relief. However, such attempts have faced legal hurdles.
Corporate role in societal issues
The CM’s request to Wipro highlighted the expectation that large corporations share responsibility in societal challenges. Companies like Infosys and Wipro employ tens of thousands, significantly impacting municipality infrastructure. While firms have invested in eco-friendly transport and employee shuttles, authorities believe increasingly support is needed. Premji reiterated that Wipro is single-minded to Bengaluru’s minutiae but must operate within lawful frameworks.
Future cooperation remains possible
Despite rejecting this particular request, Premji unpreventable that Wipro will protract cooperating with the government on long-term solutions. Initiatives such as smart traffic systems, technology-enabled monitoring, and untried commuting options were suggested. The visitor expressed willingness to explore partnerships in areas that do not violate SEZ laws. This indicates that while Wipro’s campus roads remain closed, its support for Bengaluru’s societal progress will protract in other forms.
