ASSOCHAM survey says most government officers will bear an empty look today

Authorities might be swearing that today's India-Pakistan fixture won't take a toll on the functioning of government offices in the city, but an ASSOCHAM survey suggests six out of 10 office-goers will bunk work to watch the pulsating Mohali match.

MiD DAY talked with employees of a few government offices MMRDA in Bandra-Kurla-Complex, MHADA and Mahavitaran Electricity in Bandrau00a0 only to find out that work will be on the backfoot today as the match is everybody's priority.

Officials have confirmed off the record that some employees have sought half-day or are planning to call in sick to stay back at home and watch the match.

Many of the 500 people working at the MMRDA's Bandra-Kurla-Complex office have demanded that they should be granted half-day today, said an official requesting anonymity.
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When MiD DAY tried to speak with a senior MMRDA official regarding leave applications, said, "It is true that some employees from my department have asked for a half-day, but I have turned down the request as work is the priority."

Asked whether any special arrangements were made to watch the match, MMRDA spokesperson Dilip Kawatkar said, "No special provisions have been made for the match, but people can listen to commentary on radio."
However, people working at the public relations department of MHADA have already made a special provision to watch the match.

An employee from the department said, "India-Pakistan match is the mother of all battles. This is not just a match, it is a war of sorts. We have put up a small portable TV in the office as we don't want to miss a single moment. We have also decided to come to the office early so we can finish work early and take out time to cheer India."

Mumbai board chairman of MHADA, Amarjeet Singh Manahas said work comes first for him. "It will be a normal day for me. I will spend the day working and meeting the visitors at the office. It's not that I am not interested in watching the match, but work comes first. If there are no visitors in the afternoon, I will watch the clash of Titans on the TV set in my cabin."

An official from Mahavitaran electricity office at Bandra said, "There is no specific plan, but we have asked our staff come to work so that no inconvenience is caused to the consumers."