Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 27: Notwithstanding the Government permission for allowing all workshops and service centres to operate during unlock 1.0, the authorized workshops of the reputed automobile manufacturers are not functioning because of restrictions to work with not more than five employees on the site.
Besides putting general public to great inconvenience, this is adversely affecting the largest service industry of Jammu and Kashmir, which is the biggest employer in the private sector in J&K Union Territory and is one of the major drivers of local economy.
Pertinent to mention that the auto sector had already undergone considerable slowdown over the last 12-18 months due to structural changes beginning with the Goods and Services Tax, shift to Shared Mobility, Axle load reforms, the Bharat Stage-IV(BS-IV) to Bharat State-VI (BS-VI) transition, liquidity crunch and so on. As the COVID-19 lockdown has had a multiple effect, the auto industry has almost been at a complete standstill since March 24.
Even as the latest guidelines on lockdown measures in the UT of J&K, issued under Government order number 61-JK (DMRRR) of 2020, dated 07-06-2020, state that all workshops, service centres and home workshops can operate with not more than five persons working on site/inside premises, the authorized workshops of Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Hyundai, Toyota, Mahindra, Bajaj Autos, Ford India, Honda, Ashok Leyland and others continue to remain closed till date since they cannot be made operational and give proper services to their customers with just five employees.
However, other States and UTs have already allowed operations of the workshops with 50 percent and at some places 100 percent staff strength since the last three weeks.
More ironic is the fact that all Government offices in Jammu and Kashmir are working with 100 percent staff strength while workshops in Srinagar are also operating with 50 percent strength of the employees as per an order by the DC Srinagar.
In view of these facts and the difficulties being faced by people in getting essential service, the Jammu Automobile Dealers Association and PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Jammu have appealed the Chief Secretary B V R Subrahmanyam to issue necessary order for permitting automobile dealers and workshops to re-commence operations in unison with minimum 50 percent staff strength in the UT of J&K.
“On our part, we assure the Government that the members of our Association, who are responsible entrepreneurs, will ensure that the SOPs laid down by the Government from time to time are followed in letter and spirit for the safety and welfare of the employees as well as the visitors to J&K,” they said in the representations to the Chief Secretary.
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