Honda Cars advances maintenance shutdown of manufacturing plant amid COVID-19 surge

PTI, May 7, 2021, 10:46 AM IST

New Delhi: Honda Cars India on Thursday said it is advancing maintenance shutdown at its Rajasthan-based manufacturing plant by around ten days in the wake of the second wave of COVID-19.

The Japanese automaker, which sells models like Amaze and City, has decided to shut production at its Tapukara-based facility for 12 days starting from May 7 in order to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

“In view of the current severe situation from the second wave of COVID-19, the company has informed its associates and suppliers that the company is making calendar adjustments along with its maintenance block closure at its manufacturing plant in Tapukara, Rajasthan,” a Honda Cars India spokesperson said.

The production will be halted from May 7 till May 18.

“The manufacturing operations will resume from May 19. The maintenance block closure was originally scheduled from mid of May 2021,” the spokesperson noted.

Honda’s Tapukara plant has an installed production capacity of 1.8 lakh units per annum.

The company’s employees working in corporate and zonal offices for all functions have been primarily working from home, extending all possible support to customers and business partners.

“Only some associates involved in running essential services that require physical presence or minimal staffing for a few critical activities are attending office with full precautions,” the spokesperson said.

Earlier this week, Mahindra & Mahindra announced advancing the annual maintenance plant shutdown of its automotive division to May amid the spike in COVID-19 cases across the country.

Other companies, including Maruti Suzuki, Hero MotoCorp, MG Motor India, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) and Suzuki Motorcycle India have already announced a temporary suspension of manufacturing operations in the wake of the rise in COVID-19 cases.

According to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Thursday, new coronavirus cases and deaths in India hit a record daily high with 4,12,262 new infections and 3,980 fatalities being reported, taking the total tally of COVID cases to 2,10,77,410 and the death toll to 2,30,168.