TCS employees to be back in office from year-end

REDUCING WFH

TCS employees to be back in office from year-end

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bengaluru: 16.11.2021

TCS has asked employees to return to its offices across the country by the end of this year, officially ending the near-two-year work-from-home policy that companies were forced to adopt due to the pandemic.

Those who are working from their hometowns have already been asked to get back to their base locations. The pandemic resulted in lakhs of employees across IT and technology companies – especially in Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Gurugram – to relocate to their home towns due to the flexible work options.

“At present, we have about 5% of our associates working from offices. Towards the end of CY’21, we will encourage our associates to return to offices, at least initially, before we switch to the 25/25 model. This will be done in a phased and flexible manner and will depend on respective team leaders & the requirements of each team/ project. The return to office will be a calibrated move taking employee safety into consideration,” the company said in a statement.

The 25/25 model is one where the company will seek to have no more than 25% of its employees work from office at any point by 2025. “We are committed to the 25/25 model but before transition to the model we need to start by getting people back to office and gradually evolve to 25/25,” the company said.

TCS also said that 70% of its workforce in India are fully vaccinated and more than 95% have received at least one dose. The company has over 5 lakh employees. Wipro's senior leadership has been back in office, twice a week, from September. These include delivery heads, function heads, GMs, VPs and above. Infosys has also asked its people to return to their base locations.

S’pore to have ‘vaccinated travel lane’ with India

S’pore to have ‘vaccinated travel lane’ with India

Saurabh.Sinha@timesgroup.com

New Delhi  16.11.2021

Singapore on Monday announced to finally reopen its doors for fully vaccinated travellers from India starting November 29, through a “vaccinated travel lane” (VTL). Travellers under VTL are not subject to stay-home notice (SHN) on arrival. Instead, they need to produce a negative pre-departure test taken within two days prior to departure and undergo an on arrival PCR test, stated the island nation’s health ministry.

“Following discussions between Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Lee Hsien Loong, Singapore will be launching a VTL for fully-vaccinated travellers from India with valid entry approvals starting November 29, pending resumption of commercial passenger flights,” the Singapore mission in India tweeted on Monday.

A Singapore Airlines (SIA) spokesperson said: “SIA does not currently operate passenger flights between Singapore and India. We remain guided by the authorities on our passenger services to and from India, and seek our customers’ patience and understanding while the bilateral air travel arrangements are being finalised. SIA will provide more information when it is available.”

Giving details of this much-awaited announcement, the Singapore government website stated: “To date, we have launched VTLs with Australia, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Korea, Spain, Switzerland, UK, and the US. We will be launching VTLs with Malaysia, Finland, and Sweden on November 29, 2021. We intend to launch VTLs with India and Indonesia from November 29, 2021, and with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE from December 6, 2021.” “Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore will provide more details desperately,” it added.

CHAOS AT KIA: Airline Sources Say Change In Validity Was Updated On Portal

RT-PCR TEST

8 denied boarding, staff seek -ve cert not older than 48 hrs

CHAOS AT KIA: Airline Sources Say Change In Validity Was Updated On Portal

Flyers Claim They Were Made To Undergo Another Test

Petlee.Peter@timesgroup.com

Bengaluru:16.11.2021

Mechanical engineer Krishna of HSR Layout claimed he wasn’t permitted to board a flydubai flight to Dubai at Kempegowda International Airport on Sunday as the airline ground staff insisted he produce report of an RT-PCR test conducted within 48 hours before departure.

Krishna, who was carrying a negative report obtained within 72 hours, underwent a fresh rapid PCR test by paying Rs 3,000 and tested negative. Yet he was turned away citing the invalidity of the 72-hour report.

No prior SMS alert on the change in test period was sent by the airline, the 52-year-old Bengalurean alleged. Seven others supposed to take the flight, FZ 406, underwent the same ordeal. They were all forced to cancel their Bengaluru-Dubai tickets costing over Rs 30,000 each.

“We received no SMS alert regarding the RT-PCR test validity being reduced to 48 hours for passengers. I came from Dubai to Bengaluru with a test report taken within 72 hours before the journey. I was shocked on Sunday morning when the flydubai ground staff refused to accept my Covid negative report with a validity of 72 hours,” lamented the engineer, who was scheduled to fly on work. He cancelled his one-way ticket and rebooked his trip.

Sources with the Dubaibased carrier said it had been updated on its official portal that travellers from India will have to produce Covid test report within 48 hours prior to departure and all passengers had been advised to thoroughly go though the rules.

“Earlier, the flydubai portal had said the test report needed to be within 72 hours but on November 11, 2021, it was changed to 48 hours and flyers were not alerted. There was no intimation via phone calls or text messages, and we had to find out at the airport gates, which was a bitter experience,” lamented another flyer who was forced to cancel his FZ 406 ticket and return to his Indiranagar residence.

The 43-year-old passenger also alleged that the flydubai ground staff made all those who were carrying reports taken 72 hours earlier undergo a rapid PCR test (based on molecular diagnostic testing) usually conducted for boarding passengers.

“We paid Rs 3,000 each for the test with the belief that they would let us board the flight if we tested negative. But that was not the case,” said the passenger. “If they didn’t plan to allow us, why did they make us pay Rs 3,000 and undergo another test? It is clear harassment,” he added.

Sources in flydubai at KIA said information on Covid test result requirements has been updated country-wise on the official website and has been altered based on change in rules in UAE, which some passengers failed to notice.

However, they said that the rapid PCR test was part of standard Covid guidelines. The airline didn’t give its official version of the events till Monday evening.

CAUGHT UNAWARES: The flyers were forced to cancel their Bengaluru-Dubai tickets costing over Rs 30,000 each

Earlier, the flydubai portal had said the test report needed to be within 72 hours but on November 11, 2021, the duration was changed to 48 hours and flyers were not alerted. There was no intimation via phone calls or text messages

— A passenger

Can’t book one for whiff of booze: Ker HC

Can’t book one for whiff of booze: Ker HC

Kochi:  16.11.2021

The mere smell of alcohol on a person is not sufficient to book him for being in a public place in an intoxicated manner, the Kerala HC said on Monday.

Justice Sophy Thomas made the observation in a judgment on a plea filed by Salim Kumar through advocate IV Pramod. The petitioner, a village assistant, had challenged a case registered by Badiadka police under Section118(a) of the Kerala Police Act. “...Mere smell of alcohol can’t be construed to mean that the person was intoxicated or was under the influence of any liquor.” TNN

No proof to link he engaged in rioting: Court

As per Section 118(a), any person found in a public place in an intoxicated manner or riotous condition or incapable of looking after himself can be booked for causing grave violation of public order or danger. It is punishable with imprisonment up to three years or a fine up to Rs 10,000, or both.

The petitioner had contended that he was called to the police station at 7 pm to identify an accused and a false case was registered as he could not identify the accused as required by the police as the accused was a stranger to him.

In the judgment, the court said, “Consuming liquor in a private place without causing nuisance or annoyance to anybody will not attract any offence. Mere smell of alcohol also cannot be construed to mean that the person was intoxicated.”

Even if the petitioner had consumed alcohol, the available facts and materials in the case are not sufficient to suggest that he was not able to control himself or he committed rioting inside the police station, the court said while quashing the case.

80 GTU students failed for cheating

80 GTU students failed for cheating

Ahmedabad:  16.11.2021

Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has decided to fail 85 students caught cheating in summer exams held earlier this year. The varsity has also decided to forbid these students from taking next semester exams as well, said sources in GTU. They university had summoned 140 candidates in all who faced allegations of using ‘unfair means’ to clear the semester exams. TNN

Special trains to revert to regular status

Special trains to revert to regular status

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:16.11.2021

Ensure that you get your train number right before boarding. The Western Railway has decided that all special trains which are being operated due to Covid pandemic will now run as regular trains with regular numbers. For example, the Ahmedabad Delhi Rajdhani will now be running with its regular number of 12957. Earlier, this train was running with the number 02957. Officials said that it has now been decided that WR’s regular timetabled trains, which are presently operating as special trains, shall be operated with regular numbers and with fares as applicable.

Officials said that efforts are on to normalize the passenger services and revert back in a phased manner to the precovid levels of service. Also the Passenger Reservation System (PRS) of Railways will be shut down for 6:00 hours from 11.30pm — the lean business hours of the night for next seven days. This is to enable upgradation of system data and updating of new train numbers.

During the period, railways personnel will ensure advance charting for trains departing during the affected timings. Except for the PRS services, all other inquiry services including 139 services will continue uninterrupted.

GU likely to have 7,000 vacant BSc seats

GU likely to have 7,000 vacant BSc seats

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Ahmedabad:16.11.2021

Colleges affiliated to Gujarat University are left with 6,000 empty seats for BSc courses. This is after the admission committee carried out three rounds of admissions so far this year for a total of 14,700 seats, said sources close to the development.

“The number of vacant seats at GU collages are expected to increase to 7,000 after admissions for medical, paramedical and pharmacy colleges are held in the state,” said sources.

After three rounds of admission, GU has given the task of filling the vacant BSc seats to the colleges. “These colleges will have to come out with a merit list and the admissions are to be endorsed by the university. This is going to be quite a task given the large number of vacant seats,” according to sources.

The response from students for admission in GU science colleges has been quite dull this year. So many seats are vacant in a year when the Class 12 candidates have got the benefit of mass promotion points out to the lack of interest among students for these courses.