Heavy downpour and consequent waterlogging have wreaked havoc across parts of Bengaluru and IT professionals were forced to take tractor rides to reach office. Most of these employees come from Yemalur area of Bengaluru, which is near HAL airport. They were forced to opt for this mode of transportation as the rain showers have caused traffic snarls.
An employee said they cannot take so many leaves from their office and that their work is getting affected due to rains. Rains have also impacted areas like Koramangala where basements of shops and apartments got flooded due to the downpour.
Employees of companies like Wipro, Amazon, Swiggy, Goldman Sachs and Flipkart located in Bengaluru were forced to work from home given the waterlogging across India’s tech hub.
Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), representing IT and banking firms in Bengaluru wrote to Karnataka CM Basvaraj Bommai that flooding caused losses worth Rs 225 crore on a single day and urged him to address infrastructure issues. The letter stated, “Member companies had to trigger emergency business community plans and work from home or pass on critical work to locations outside of Bengaluru and Karnataka, thus causing reputational and economic damage to the city and the state.”
CM Bommai said that the state government is in consultation with IT companies regarding rain and waterlogging-related issues, while adding compensation and other related damages are at the centre stage of these discussions.
Minister for Higher Education; IT & BT, Science & Technology; Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood Dr Ashwathanaryan CN told Business Today, “I have initiated a meeting and will talk with industry leaders and corporate executives soon. We will work together to find a solution. Hon'ble CM Basavaraj Bommai has taken a serious and keen interest in resolving the concerns as soon as possible.”
Funds worth around Rs 600 crore have also been released to manage the flood situation, of which Rs 300 crore has been kept for Bengaluru alone. These funds will be allocated towards restoring damaged infrastructure – roads, electric poles, transformers, schools, etc.
Another Rs 1,500 crore has been released for constructing storm water drains in Bengaluru after water levels recede. Two State Disaster Relief Force (SDRF) teams are deployed in Mahdevapura and Bommanahalli zones in Bengaluru since they are the worst hit.
Also read: Bengaluru rains: Does your motor insurance cover flood damage?