Offices not ready to risk it yet, few turn up at work - The Times Of India

Offices not ready to risk it yet, few turn up at work - The Times Of India

Jasjeev Gandhiok & Paras Singh TNN

New Delhi: 20.05.2020

Despite relaxations granted by Delhi government allowing private and public offices to function at full strength, most organisations on Tuesday kept staff at a minimum and worked below the 33% workforce recommended earlier.

Busy commercial areas like Bhikaji Cama Place, Barakhamba Road and Nehru Place showed a marginal increase in footfall, but a majority of the private firms preferred continuing with the work-from-home set-up.

In a visit to Bhikaji Cama Place in south Delhi, TOI saw temperature screening being carried out at the office complex and guards at the entry point were equipped with hand sanitisers to disinfect the hands of people entering the buildings.

Notices had been plastered mentioning that offices would be sanitised twice a day, employees would be screened with thermal guns and shoes would be sprayed with disinfectants. Guards manning the thermal screening post said the notices had been sent to all. Offices resuming on-site operations were working in coordination with the SHO of the local police station.

Pankaj Gupta, a visitor who had come to collect documents, said, “Only employees who cannot work from home have been called. The risk is very high.”

An IT department employee with a private company on Barakhamba Road, Ved Prakash, said he was called to work when relaxations were announced during Lockdown 3.0, but more staff wasn’t called in on Tuesday. “Only a couple of people from each department are being called in. More people may not be called anytime soon as work is functioning smoothly from home,” he said.

Another office-goer in the same area, Virendra Singh, said he was there as his services were required in the legal department. But companies were trying to avoid calling many employees.

Ram Avadh, a tea vendor, said he used to get over 200 customers daily, but now hardly five visit his shop. “I have never seen Barakhamba Road this deserted in the past 30 years,” he remarked.

A private firm employee, C P Kukreja, said his employer had asked only 20% of the workforce to resume operations. “Currently, we don’t have many clients and most of the work can be handled from home,” he added.

A TEA VENDOR SAYS

Earlier, I used to get 200 customers daily.

I have never seen Barakhamba Road this deserted in 30