Bengaluru: Rajesh Yabaji, co-founder of the online trucking platform BlackBuck, has moved to quash speculation that the company is preparing to exit Bengaluru, after one of his social media posts triggered widespread debate about the city’s traffic chaos and crumbling infrastructure.
Posting a detailed clarification on X, Yabaji said: “We unilaterally refute the claims made by some media outlets that we are considering moving out of the city. We are only relocating within the city to a different location, which will facilitate an easy commute for our employees. As we do this, we want to reiterate that a large part of operations would still continue to happen on the ORR, and hence we will continue to seek help from the concerned authorities to enable infrastructure improvements to facilitate smooth business operations.”
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— Rajesh Yabaji (@YABAJI) September 18, 2025
‘Bengaluru had been central to BlackBuck’s success’
Yabaji highlighted that BlackBuck had shifted its base to Bellandur in 2016 to access larger office spaces and better facilities, acknowledging that the support from Karnataka and Bengaluru authorities had played a crucial role in the company’s growth. He underlined that Bengaluru had been central to BlackBuck’s success over the past decade and would continue to play a major role in its future expansion.
Reaffirming the firm’s long-term commitment to the city, he stressed that BlackBuck would not only remain headquartered in Bengaluru but also expand its presence there. He added that the company regarded the city as its home and would continue engaging with government authorities to ensure its needs and concerns were addressed.
Social media post that sparked the debate
The clarification followed Yabaji’s earlier post on Tuesday, in which he announced that BlackBuck would be leaving its Bellandur office on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) due to worsening civic conditions. He wrote: “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,” citing broken roads, heavy dust and colleagues facing commutes of more than 90 minutes.
The remarks quickly reignited criticism of Bengaluru’s crumbling civic infrastructure and drew a strong response from Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. While assuring that the state government was determined to prevent companies from leaving the IT hub over poor infrastructure, Shivakumar added that “blackmailing the government” would not be tolerated. He went further, suggesting that any firm unhappy with the city was free to relocate.
Andhra minister invites BlackBuck to Vizag
The debate took another turn when Andhra Pradesh minister and TDP leader Nara Lokesh publicly invited BlackBuck to shift operations to Visakhapatnam. Writing on X, he said: “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.”
In a follow-up post, Lokesh contrasted his state’s stance with Karnataka’s, remarking that Andhra Pradesh does not dismiss people’s concerns as “blackmail” but treats them with seriousness and dignity.