Staggered timing champion hails govt move

Nandini Dias supports the task force for staggered office timings to ease Mumbai's peak-hour congestion, aiming to save lives and improve work-life balance

MUMBAI: Following the state government’s assignment of a task force to explore the feasibility of staggering office timings in order to reduce the rush in locals during peak hours, Nandini Dias, ideator of the campaign WorkToLiveToWork, aimed at making work hours more flexible for citizens, has applauded the move.

Nandini Dias, ideator of the campaign WorkToLiveToWork

Dias, member of the executive board of Mumbai First, a think tank for bettering Mumbai, and honorary secretary of the India chapter of the International Advertising Association, under which the campaign was initiated in 2018, said, “This is a step in the right direction for the government to understand the situation on the ground. I will be glad to be a part of the task force as well to provide my inputs.”

Dias initiated the campaign after she lost her older brother in an accident on the suburban rail network in 2016. A year later, she also lost her executive assistant in the stampede at Elphinstone Road railway station in which 23 commuters died and at least 39 more were injured. “Both were victims of inadequate infrastructure, crushed under the weight of peak-hour traffic and the relentless pressure of the office attendance register,” she said.

Dias pointed out that nine or 10 people died every single day while commuting to work on Mumbai’s suburban rail network. “That was nearly roughly 3,400 lives lost each year when our campaign began,” she said.

Central Railway, in 2018, had approached 800 companies to stagger official timings in a bid to reduce peak hour congestion. However, only 46 companies, with an employee count of less than 25 reacted positively. Recently, the railways appealed once more to companies to look at the feasibility of the option.

“Companies are worried about the productivity of employees due to flexible timings. However, Covid-19 has demonstrated that flexible work arrangements and remote working do not impact productivity,” Dias said.

She emphasised that the risk of getting their salary cut for reaching office late forced thousands of workers to board dangerously overcrowded trains. “Mumbai is attempting to upgrade its infrastructure, but if that takes another 10 years, another 40,000 hardworking citizens will die in the meantime. And no one will notice,” she said.

Dias’ campaign urged for flexible work hours between 8 am and 11 am to ease train overcrowding, especially during the 8.45 am to 9.45 am peak hours, the deadliest window for rail fatalities. By reducing commuter pressure by 25% to 30%, it aimed to save lives, boost morale and give employees control over their work-life balance. “We have seen some progress. Annual fatalities have reduced to around 2,600,” she said.

The campaign worked with large corporations, including Tata, Mahindra, Birla, Piramal, Marico and L&T, and major industry associations like NHRDN and Rotary Club, presenting the wide-ranging benefits of decongestion, its impact on productivity and the cultural shifts and discipline required.

“Systemic and meaningful change also requires government involvement,” said Dias. “Last year, central government departments were advised to adopt staggered timings. However, without a clear execution plan, that recommendation remains largely symbolic. Real change demands structure, accountability, and coordinated implementation.”