Many heading out for long weekend

The festive season is almost here and offices and roads are soon going to wear a deserted look as people head out of town for the long weekend. Metrolife spoke to companies and professionals to see what a reduced workforce means for companies and commuters.

Girish Chandran, senior consultant in an MNC, says that most people will head out early on Thursday evening. “Resources working in critical projects will come on the holidays and take compensatory off another day; if it’s mentioned in their contract that no Indian holidays can be availed.”

“Otherwise, most of them will be head out of town early on Thursday evening.” He adds, “Some privileged ones will work from home on Thursday and make it an extended long weekend.

Keerthana Varma, another MNC employee, adds that most of the people in her office are heading to their native places for the weekend. “It is a holiday for the company so work will not suffer,” she adds. Smita Menon’s office too has declared a holiday from October 18 till October 21.

“On Wednesday, October 17, there will be a pooja in the afternoon after which we will not work. Employees will be disconnected from office for the entire long weekend as this is a break they richly deserve,” says the AGM HR of a real estate company.

The roads in the city are likely to be deserted during the weekend though the roads leading out of the city will be choc-a-bloc. “The roads and offices will be mostly empty but the malls will be crowded. That’s what I have noticed in Whitefield,” says Girish. He adds, “Routes like Bengaluru to Mysuru will be jampacked because most of them go for road trips to that side. I’ve once been stuck near Mandya for three hours on the highway because of the traffic during the festive weekend.”