Watch: In flood-hit Bengaluru, techies take tractor to work because ‘can’t take leaves’

Office-goers in Bengaluru were filmed using a tractor to commute (Image credit: ANI/YouTube)

A night of torrential downpour created havoc in Bengaluru on Monday morning, submerging several parts of the city. Rainfall continued unabated through the day, with waterlogged roads further impacting the city’s already-infamous traffic. In the midst of this, footage shows employees of some IT companies in the Silicon Valley of India taking tractors to reach their workplace.

The heavy rainfall has brought Bengaluru, capital city of the poll-bound Karnataka, to its knees. As overflowing lakes and stormwater drains inundated low-lying areas, several firms, including Goldman Sachs and Swiggy, reportedly asked their employees to work from home.

Certain other companies, however, forced employees to use tractors to reach their offices in the Yemalur area of Bengaluru amid waterlogging, reports ANI.

#WATCH via ANI Multimedia | Many employees of IT companies are forced to use tractors to reach their offices in the Yemalur area of Bengaluru, Karnataka amid waterlogging due to heavy rains.https://t.co/TXX3aFEntQ

— ANI (@ANI) September 6, 2022

“We can’t take so many leaves from the office, our work is getting affected. We are awaiting tractors to drop us for Rs 50,” one local was quoted as saying by ANI on Monday.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday night said the government has decided to release Rs 300 crore to manage the flood situation in the city.

A total of Rs 1,500 crore has been allocated for construction of storm water drains in Bengaluru, Bommai said, adding the work will begin once the water recedes.

Rains have battered many parts of the city like Whitefield, Indiranagar, Kengeri, R R Nagar, Bommanahalli, Marathalli, and Mahadevapura. Several areas on the Outer Ring Road (ORR) that houses some of the IT companies, were affected by rains and flooding.

Office goers and the general public pushing their two wheelers in knee deep water was a common sight, even as a resident rued the 'plight' of ORR. “I was on my way to the office, it's knee-deep water here, my vehicle stopped mid-way because of water entering the engine parts. Now I'm stuck here, not sure what to do and where to reach,” said a man

(With inputs from PTI)