With Metro construction work set to start in Bengaluru, the state government has called upon IT Parks located along this stretch to extend the ongoing Work From Home for their staff.
The Karnataka government has called upon all IT parks located along the Outer Ring Road (ORR) stretch in Bengaluru to extend the ongoing Work From Home (WFH) period up to December 2022. If that is not possible, the government has asked them to stagger the working hours for those coming to office.
There are more than 800 companies with a workforce of 1.5 lakh IT professionals along the ORR stretch in Bengaluru at present. This stretch is infamous for its continuous traffic snarls.
EV Ramana Reddy, Additional Chief Secretary, Department of Electronics, IT, BT & Science and Technology at NASSCOM on August 21 had sent an advisory.
The advisory has said: With the start of metro construction on ORR, it would be extremely difficult to manage traffic movement on ORR, especially if the IT companies resume work from office. The Government of Karnataka has taken some measures by implementing Bus Priority Lanes (BPL) and safe cycle lane to provide alternate options for the mobility of people working or passing through ORR. In addition to these measures to promote mass transit and cycling as alternate options to commute on ORR, it would be greatly beneficial if:
a) The IT companies especially located in ORR, would extend the work from home option for most of the employees till December 2022, and/or The IT parks/companies may be advised to stagger the working hours for those employees working physically at office.
b) The IT workforce, who need to physically attend office, are encouraged to take buses (BMTC/Company) as these buses travel on bus lanes.
The advisory also states that the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL) is starting construction works on the ORR from Central Silk Board to KR Puram and it could take about 1.5 to 2 years.
