Delhi government has officially dropped its two-day work from home (WFH) policy for government workers as part of an energy conservation drive earlier this year. The decision came after authorities realized that the geopolitical situation, which had led to the fuel-saving measures, has largely stabilized.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta approved of the rollback on Saturday and formal orders will be issued on the same day. Government employees will no longer be allowed to work remotely on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the CMO said yesterday. The new office timings introduced during the campaign will still be in place; however, the new office schedule will not be altered.
The departments of the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD) will operate from 10:00 am to 6:30 pm, and the office of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) will work from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm. The staggered office hours will reduce traffic congestion and make the journey easier for commuters throughout the day, officials said.
The work-from-home arrangement was introduced as part of Delhi government’s “Mera Bharat, Mera Yogdaan” campaign by the Delhi government, to save energy and reduce unnecessary expenditure. The campaign came just months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested citizens and government departments take on energy-saving measures in the wake of increasing global uncertainty stemming from the fighting in West Asia and fears of disruption to oil supply through the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
The government also rolled out several initiatives to reduce fuel consumption and promote sustainable commuting through the WFH program. These included the “Metro Monday” initiative with employees using Delhi Metro instead of private vehicles and a weekly “No Vehicle Day” to promote cleaner transportation. Many government departments switched to virtual platforms to have official meetings, and discretionary spending was curtailed as part of the austerity drive.
The decision to end the WFH arrangement was made after an assessment of the current geopolitical situation and global energy security. With oil supply disruptions lessened and energy flows returning to normal, the government believes extraordinary measures do not need to be taken anymore, they said.
Even though remote working has ended, the Delhi government has kept the new office schedule. Local authorities believe staggered working hours can still relieve peak-hour traffic pressure, improve commuting efficiency, and improve air quality. Similar office timing changes have been made in the past in response to severe air pollution and traffic in the national capital.
The rollback also signals the slow return to normal administrative functioning after months of precautionary steps to save fuel and manage public resources. Government departments will now be expected to resume regular in-office operations and make sure energy consumption is done efficiently as well as sustainable commuting is carried out where possible.
Even as employees return to a full office-based work schedule, the staggered timings suggest that the Delhi government will maintain long-term traffic management measures even though energy concerns have dissipated.
