Coronavirus lockdown | Over 6,000 industrial units reopen in Gujarat

45,000 workers in several places, including Morbi, Rajkot, Kutch, Ankleshhwar and Sanand, return to work

More than 6,000 industrial units in Gujarat reopened after the Central and State governments relaxed lockdown guidelines in order to allow economic activities in areas that have not become hotspots for infections.

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According to the relaxed guidelines of the State government, industrial units and other economic activities will continue to remain under lockdown in nine Municipal Corporations and 162 Municipalities, but outside the jurisdiction of these bodies, it allowed relaxations, after the necessary permissions had been obtained from the authorities.

Accordingly, over 45,000 workers and other employees of in more than 6,000 units, including ceramic tiles units in Morbi, engineering units in Rajkot and Kutch, chemical units in Ankleshwar and automobile units in Sanand, resumed work from Monday.

‘More to follow’

“Gradually, other units will also be allowed to reopen as the situation becomes normal,” Ashwani Kumar, Secretary to Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, told newspersons on Monday.

In this first batch, the State government allowed large units to open. Over the next two-three days, 10,000 other units will be allowed to begin their operations, which would also include medium and smaller units outside urban areas.

The Alang ship recycling yard and other ancillary factories and units will also be reopened in the next few days in order to return to normal economic activities.

Mr. Rupani added that, according to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the State authorities, proper social distancing and arrangement for workers would have to be done in the premises of the factories.

Factories will have to arrange transport for workers and employees, and all buses and their transport vehicles will have to be disinfected on a regular basis.

City construction sites

The construction sites have also been allowed to open within cities, with the condition that the developers will provide accommodation to workers on the site itself, besides the provision of food, sanitation and hygiene.