Few biz operations to start after April 20

Pune: A minuscule number of companies in the district are set to resume work after April 20 even as they hurry to ensure social distancing in their factories.

The government has agreed to allow those businesses to resume work that can provide accommodation to people within or near their factories.

Prashant Girbane, the director general of Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), said that the orders as of now were to open factories outside the municipal limits. “Many industries in Bhosari and other areas are within the municipal limits. So, they will stay shut. I believe 25% of usual business activity will resume by the end of this month and around 60% of it will resume by May-end,” Girbane said.

Most of the companies that will open in the first phase post April 20, will be from the outskirts of Pune. For instance, Godrej Appliances is one such company that is ready to start work with 25% of its strength in Shirwal and Mohali.

“Around 25% of our employees stay within 4km of the factory and we expect all of them to come to work,” Kamal Nandi, the business head and executive vice-president of Godrej Appliances, said.

IT companies have also started to roll out emails as to when employees can join back, but the dates are mostly in the first week of May.

Companies operating in places such as Chakan are also working out strategies as to how much they can allow work to resume in the immediate future.