Techies in Hyderabad may return to office in October

However, several employees hesitant due to health concerns

Hyderabad: Right at the start of the pandemic, several MNCs decided to ask their employees to work from home to curb the transmission of Covid-19. However, while education institutions have opened their doors for students, a majority of IT professionals still remain hesitant to return to office.

Realising the need to reopen the IT corridor, the State government has directed companies to ask their employees to start working from offices. “A few companies have already asked their employees to return to office. Tata Consultancy Services office will soon be opening its doors and they have asked all the employees to start working from the office. I hope this will be an example for other MNCs as well,” says Jayesh Ranjan, IT and Industries Principal Secretary. “We are expecting that all the companies will reopen in October after Dasara celebrations,” he adds.

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A section of IT employees, however, are still not convinced about their medical safety. A Sandeep Kumar, vice-president, Information Technology Employees Association, says, “Since the lockdown started last year, all the employees have been giving their best from home. Since we didn’t have to travel, we were also able to spend quality time with family and concentrate on our health. Going back to the office will again increase the risk of Covid-19.”

On the other hand, a few employees opine that it is imperative to reopen the office. “About 60-70 per cent of the IT employees have received the first dose of Covid vaccination, and the rest are fully vaccinated. As several medical associations have stated that a single dose is also effective, it is safe for people to go to offices now following Covid-19 norms. However, I feel the reopening should be phased – like the government did for schools,” shares Shashidhar Vuppala, IT professional and activist.

Plight of cab drivers

The IT offices in the city not only support the livelihood of IT professionals, but many others as well.

Due to the abrupt shutdown of the offices, lakhs of support staff associated with these offices including transport employees, housekeeping staff, security staff and those working in office cafeteria have lost their source of earning.

E Shiva Kumar, who worked as a cab driver for a leading BPO healthcare company, had to shift to his hometown Bhongir due to financial difficulties. “Before the pandemic, I earned around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 a month and there were days I worked double shift. But with the lockdown, I wasn’t earning anything and shifted to Bhongir with my parents. Life has been very difficult since, as I also have to take care of the loan I took to buy the vehicle. I really hope the IT offices open soon so I can start earning again,” he says.

Meanwhile, after waiting for about 18 months for the offices to open, the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) is planning to approach IT Minister KT Rama Rao with an appeal for reopening of the IT offices.

TGPWU president Shaik Salauddin says, “As the IT employees are still working from home, about 33,000 cabs hired by the offices have gone off the roads, rendering the drivers jobless. We request the State government to look into the issue, as a major part of the cab drivers are not earning enough to run their kitchens since March last.”

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