Pune techies ask for work from home after heavy rains cause traffic jams

Unseasonal rain this week led to many IT professionals in Hinjewadi requesting to work from home (WFH). The main reason was to avoid the long traffic jams caused by flooding in the area.

Tech employees said that Phase 3 of Hinjewadi had severe waterlogging for two days. The water rose above knee level, making it hard to move. Many two-wheelers and cars stopped working due to water damage.

Ashutosh Pandey, who moved to Hinjewadi two years ago, said, “It took me nearly an hour to travel just 3km. The Metro construction work made the roads even more congested.”

Another IT worker, Santosh Thakur, shared that some areas in Phase 2 and 3 have big potholes. These become dangerous when hidden under water during rain.

Even though many companies have rules requiring employees to come to the office a few days each month, several employees still choose to apply for WFH. They said this might affect their performance reviews, but they had no choice.

There was no official response from IT companies about the trouble their workers faced. Also, there were no arrangements for employees who got stuck because of the rain.

Ashutosh Pandey said, “Companies should be more understanding, especially when there are serious infrastructure problems in such an important tech hub.”

Dnyanendra Hulsure, president of the Hinjawadi Employees and Residents’ Association, said that allowing WFH during monsoon or until Metro work is finished would reduce traffic and stress.

Pawanjit Mane, head of the IT employees’ union, added, “Hinjewadi faces the same issues every year. It affects both the physical and mental health of workers.”

[With TOI inputs]