BENGALURU:
Transport firms are worried that their business will suffer again as the central government has relaxed rules to facilitate remote working for
IT and BPO employees.
Urban mobility experts, however, are pleased with the move, saying it will help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution levels in the tech capital.
The new guidelines issued on Thursday removed requirements which prevented companies from adopting
work-from-home and work-from-anywhere policies.
Transport firms that ferry
office workers say the
pandemic has already shrunk their earnings and they will struggle to survive if employees continue to log in remotely.
“The employee transport business has been in distress since the Covid-linked lockdown. The central government’s latest move will deal another blow. Many transport operators catering to corporates are selling their vehicles to cut losses,” said K Radhakrishna Holla, the president of the Karnataka State Travel Operators’ Association.
Most IT and BPO firms, which are trying to reduce operational costs like transport and office rent, have already told their employees that they can continue remote working. A large number of employees are happy with the
WFH arrangement as they don’t have to commute and endure frustrating traffic snarl-ups. According to the comprehensive mobility plan report, 65 per cent of the trips in the city are for work and business and about 17 per cent for other purposes.
“The Centre’s step creates a win-win situation for IT companies and the city. Earlier, several tempo travellers and other vehicles used to ferry office workers. That has reduced because of WFH, which will help decongest Bengaluru,” said RK Misra, an urban planner.
Urban mobility expert Ashwin Mahesh said
Covid-19 had accelerated the shift to remote working. “Traffic patterns depend on factors such as jobs, schools and housing. Covid-19 has affected all these. Many people started moving to peripheral areas to avoid the density in core areas and jobs are also likely to be scattered around the city. But it is still not clear how things will be once a vaccine is available,” he said.
According to Vishwanath Seetharam, founder-secretary of the Outer Ring Road Companies’ Association, only 10 to 20 per cent of vehicles are currently being used, that too mainly for critical staff. “Traffic congestion and pollution have decreased because of WFH, but employees may return to offices once a vaccine is available. Many firms have set up infrastructure at their employees’ homes or paid them money to buy necessary equipment,” Seetharam said. “But many workers who have returned to their hometowns may return to Bengaluru because of the exposure and opportunities. Government agencies should come up with a plan to prevent traffic congestion in this case.”
Holla said WFH would affect other sectors, and not just the transport industry. “Security guards, maintenance staff and people working in cafeterias of big IT parks may lose their jobs if WFH becomes the norm. The state government will also incur heavy losses in terms of taxes,” he said.