‘No city can match Bengaluru’: DK Shivakumar On BlackBuck CEO Rajesh Yabaji's exit from city

NEW DELHI: Karnataka deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar has defended Bengaluru’s reputation as India’s tech capital after logistics firm BlackBuck announced it was moving out of the city’s Bellandur area, citing poor road conditions and long commutes.In an interview with NDTV, Shivakumar said, "No one can stop any company from moving. But no one can match Bengaluru and the infrastructure we provide. Before they came to Bengaluru, they saw what it offers and then made a decision." BlackBuck’s CEO and co-founder Rajesh Yabaji had earlier posted on X that the firm’s nine-year stay in Bellandur had become untenable. "Average commute for my colleagues shot up to 1.5+ hrs (one way).

Roads full of potholes and dust, coupled with the lowest intent to get them rectified. Didn't see any of this changing in the next 5 years," he wrote.

He added, "But it's now very-very hard to continue here. We have decided to move out." Yabaji’s remarks drew wide reactions online, with many Bengaluru residents agreeing, while Andhra Pradesh minister Nara Lokesh even invited the company to shift base to Vizag. In a post on 'X', he wrote, "Hi Rajesh, 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."Shivakumar, however, dismissed the idea that poor roads alone prompted the decision. "A decision to shift base may also be due to business issues and anyone is free to move if they are not satisfied with the facilities and talent Bengaluru offers," he said. "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," Shivakumar told NDTV.