Bengaluru: Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent appeal for fuel conservation and economic restraint has triggered mixed reactions in Bengaluru’s IT and transport sectors, with several technology companies reportedly considering renewed work-from-home policies while travel operators warn of severe financial consequences.
During a recent event in Hyderabad, the Prime Minister urged citizens and organisations to minimise fuel consumption by encouraging virtual meetings and allowing employees to work from home wherever possible. The suggestion, aimed at reducing fuel usage amid global economic uncertainties, has now sparked discussions among Bengaluru’s major IT and BT companies.
According to industry sources, several firms in the city have already held internal meetings regarding partial or flexible work-from-home arrangements. Some companies are reportedly planning to implement remote working options either later this month or from next month onward as part of cost-cutting and sustainability measures.
The development has received support from sections of the corporate sector that believe hybrid work models can reduce operational expenses, traffic congestion, and fuel consumption in Bengaluru, a city already struggling with heavy vehicular movement and long commute hours.
However, the proposal has triggered strong opposition from the Karnataka State Travels Owners’ Association, which fears that another large-scale shift toward remote work could devastate the transport sector that depends heavily on IT employee movement.
Association president Radhakrishna Holla has reportedly written to Prime Minister Modi expressing concern over the impact of prolonged work-from-home policies on travel operators and drivers.
While welcoming the Centre’s efforts to reduce unnecessary international travel and fuel expenditure, the association argued that large-scale remote working and virtual meetings would directly affect thousands of transport operators, cab aggregators, and private vehicle owners who rely on the IT sector for business.
The association also expressed disappointment that while the aviation sector had allegedly received financial assistance worth thousands of crores during previous crises, the travel and transport industry continued to struggle without substantial government support.
Travel operators claim that nearly 50 lakh vehicles across the country are connected either directly or indirectly to employee transportation services. Many vehicle owners and drivers, they say, purchased cars and vans through loans and are still repaying heavy debts.
Cab driver Raju, speaking about the issue, said many drivers in Bengaluru depend entirely on daily trips linked to IT companies.
“We survive because of office pickups and drops. If companies again switch completely to work from home, thousands of drivers like us will face financial hardship,” he said.
The debate has once again highlighted the broader economic impact of remote working practices introduced during the pandemic years. While companies and environmental experts argue that reduced commuting helps lower pollution and fuel consumption, businesses connected to employee mobility fear another downturn.
Industry observers say Bengaluru remains one of the most affected cities whenever work-from-home policies are expanded, as a large ecosystem of cab operators, travel agencies, roadside businesses, and small vendors depends on the daily movement of lakhs of tech employees.
As discussions continue, the city now finds itself balancing two competing priorities — fuel conservation and sustainability on one side, and the livelihood concerns of the transport sector on the other.
