COVID-19: Maruti Suzuki halts operations at Haryana plants

Maruti Suzuki India has announced the shutting down of its manufacturing facilities and offices at Gurugram and Manesar in Haryana with immediate effect due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Its research and development (R&D) centre in Rohtak will also remain closed till further notice, the company said in statement on Sunday.

The duration of this shutdown will depend upon government policy, it said.

"The government policy now requires closure of production and accordingly the company has taken a decision on production closure. The company will shut production and office operations at its facilities in Gurugram and Manesar, Haryana with immediate effect till further notice. The R&D Centre at Rohtak will also remain closed," said the statement.

The automobile major noted that it has been taking all recommended precautions in its operations against the spread of coronavirus, including "sanitisation and hygiene, temperature checks, maximising video-conferencing and minimising contact, closing employee travel, health and distancing advisories to employees and following all government directions on the subject."

Earlier in the day, Mahindra & Mahindra and Hero MotoCorp had announced suspension of manufacturing operations.

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) announced the suspension of its manufacturing plants in Nagpur, Chakan (Pune) and Kandivali (Mumbai) and said that it would take appropriate action on other plants in Maharashtra and across the nation if the situation changes.

Two-wheeler major Hero MotoCorp announced a halt to operations at all its global manufacturing facilities with immediate effect until March 31. The company has manufacturing plants in India, Colombia and Bangladesh - and the Global Parts Centre (GPC) at Neemrana.

The number of people infected with the virus in India has increased at a faster rate during the past few days. The total number of positive coronavirus cases in India has reached 324 on Sunday, including foreign nationals, according to the Union Health Ministry, and six deaths have been reported so far. IANS