1 hour for lunch, 2 hours of silence!

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Government offices are infamous for delayed work, but a new reality check exposes a persistent issue extended lunch breaks. Despite official regulations limiting the lunch break to 30 minutes, employees at the district collector’s office are frequently missing for up to two hours, leaving citizens frustrated.

Reality Check: Government Offices

Lunch break turns into extended absence

As per government directives, staff members are allowed a maximum 30-minute lunch break between 1 pm and 2 pm. Since government office employees and officers do not have a fixed lunch schedule, citizens often struggle to find them. People frequently complain that employees are unavailable during working hours, as their lunch break is decided based on office convenience rather than public needs.

Officials missing even after 3 pm

Citizens report that even between 3 pm and 5 pm, many officials remain unavailable. With no fixed lunch schedule, visitors are left waiting indefinitely. Frustrated by repeated visits, people are often forced to escalate their concerns directly to the district collector.

Official Statement

According to government regulations, all government offices have fixed working hours. A 30-minute lunch break is included in these hours. The directive suggests that employees and officers should take their lunch break within the 1 pm to 2 pm window.

— Vinod Khirokar, Resident deputy collector