Bengaluru heavy rainfall: Employees demand work-from-home as civic conditions make commute a nightmare

Bengaluru's IT workforce calls for mandatory work-from-home policies during extreme weather as heavy rains disrupt commutes and halt operations in tech parks.

As Bengaluru continues to reel under the impact of relentless rains and poor civic preparedness, a growing chorus of voices from the city’s vast IT workforce is calling for mandatory work-from-home (WFH) policies during extreme weather days.

Manyata Tech Park in Bengalusu saw knee-deep water levels on Monday morning.

Navigating through flooded streets, traffic gridlocks, and disrupted public transport has turned the daily office commute into a nightmare, especially for those working in tech corridors like Outer Ring Road and Manyata Tech Park, which were among the worst affected on Monday. Parts of Manyata Tech Park were submerged under over two feet of water, halting vehicle movement and leaving several employees stranded.

Employees take to social media

Taking to social media, frustrated tech workers have urged industry bodies and employers to consider declaring remote work on days when the city is battered by heavy downpours.

“Bengaluru IT folks end up working more than 70 hours a week during monsoon—not because of office hours, but because of the sheer effort it takes to get there,” one user posted, tagging the Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA). “Why can’t there be a city-wide work-from-home mandate on rainy days?”

 

Another user questioned the rationale of forcing employees into offices amidst flooded roads:

“It’s water everywhere. And yet, IT companies are pushing for full-time office. How does this make sense when people are risking their lives commuting through flooded stretches just to sit at a desk they could easily operate from home?”

Several users shared similar sentiments, emphasizing that a proactive WFH policy during weather emergencies would ease pressure on the city’s already strained infrastructure and reduce traffic congestion, allowing emergency services to operate more freely.

“Declare WFH today. Maybe the situation improves tomorrow—only if it stops raining,” one techie suggested in a widely circulated post.

One particularly sarcastic comment captured the city's current mood:

“Try going to the office—Bengaluru rains will stop you. Try working from home—Bengaluru’s weather will cut your Wi-Fi. #AmazeRoads #AmazeWeather.”

As the conversation grows louder online, civic and corporate leaders are now under pressure to reconsider rigid return-to-office mandates. Many employees argue that flexible working conditions, especially during monsoon months, are not just convenient but a necessity in a city whose infrastructure is routinely overwhelmed by rain.