The government is planning to introduce a three-category work schedule from October, this year, to reduce traffic congestion in the city. The establishment ministry has prepared a proposal of the new timetable on the basis of recommendations made by different ministries and divisions, sources in the ministry said, yesterday.

According to the proposal, all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous offices would open at 9 am and close at 5 pm, while banks, insurance and other financial institutions, along with private businesses will open at10 am and close at 6 pm. The proposal also says that all primary schools and kindergartens will open at 9.30 in the morning and close at 4.15 in the afternoon while classes of other educational institutions like English medium schools, high schools, madrashas and colleges will start from 7.00 am, sources added.

A high official of the establishment ministry yesterday told The Independent that the proposal would be placed at the next meeting of the secretary committee on administrative improvement affairs and the ministry will issue a circular in this regard after its approval. "The government is likely to introduce the new office time from October and we hope people will gradually get adjusted to it for their own good," he said. "Most of the work will be done by the first half (of the day) and people will be back home early if the three-category, new office time is introduced," he added.

The official also said that service oriented organisations like post, telephone, railways, hospitals and other state-owned enterprises will follow their own timetable in the public interest. The Supreme Court will fix its own timetable as well as that of the subordinate courts. All government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous offices will remain open from 9.30 am to 4pm from Sunday to Thursday during the holy month of Ramzan.