Staggered timings: Decision left to firms on Outer Ring Road

Work on Phase II of Metro to begin in March

The State government, which was earlier considering to introduce staggered timings to ease traffic in  Whitefield and on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) has left it to the discretion of the companies in the region to decide.

At a meeting between the government and the industry bodies, additional Chief Secretary T M Vijay Bhaskar asked them to explore possibilities of introducing staggered timings. Speaking to Deccan Herald, R N Hegde, president, Whitefield Area Commerce and Industries Association (WACIA), said that the government has asked them to decide on the issue.

The government was considering to introduce staggered timings to companies in the ORR and Whitefield area. But several companies had said that it would be of little use as most of them are using the staggered timing.

“We have already incorporated that. It depends on the kind of job one is doing. We need some amount of core timing in office. We cannot start and end early, there will be school going kids who need to be attended,’’ said Ram Narayanan, General Manager Ebay Development Centre, India.

Coordination committee
Hegde said that officials had agreed to set up a coordination committee comprising representatives from Industry and officials from civic agencies and government. The committee will meet every third Saturday to take stock of the situation, he said.

“This is a very positive outcome. They (officials) readily agreed for our proposal to set up such a committee. It will help to simplify things and understand issues and address them in quick time,’’ he said.

R K Misra, who represented Whitefield Rising at the meeting said that Vijay Bhaskar was positive and promised action besides making efforts to get budgetary allocations to certain proposals by the industry.

BMRCL Managing Director is said to have told industry representatives that the they would start the work on the metro line in March and complete in three years.

“Kharola said that the BMRCL has issued notification for land acquisition and will begin the work in March  from Byappanahalli to Whitefield under phase II,’’ Misra said quoting the officer.

 Besides Vijay Bhaskar and Kharola, officials from BBMP, BDA, BWSSB also attended the meeting.