File photo of waterlogging on the outer ring road near Veeranna palya. (Representative image)
Credit: DH File Photo/ B K Janardhan
Bengaluru Traffic Police have requested that corporate companies operating out of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) allow their employees to work from home on August 14 due to expected rainfall and heavy congestion.
In a letter sent to the president of the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA) on Tuesday, M N Anucheth, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), warned of heavy traffic congestion on August 14, owing to the rainfall forecast and the long weekend.
"To minimise disruption and avoid undue delays, it is requested to bring to the notice of the member companies to consider allowing work-from-home for their employees on 14.08.2024," Anucheth wrote. "This measure will not only reduce the number of vehicles on the road but also ensure a smoother commuter for all those who need to travel."
Anucheth confirmed to DH that such an advisory had been issued.
The ORRCA requested all companies to take action, noting that it would help individual companies as well as the ORR.
The ORR, which now runs entirely within the city, has become a major IT hub but is also notorious for its poor condition. It's dotted with potholes and clogged drains, and reports heavy waterlogging even after moderate rains.
Early morning rainfall on August 12 resulted in severe flooding on the ORR, especially between Hebbal and Nagavara. During a visit to the ORR, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar was stunned to find numerous potholes and questioned where the funds granted to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) were being spent.