Automakers halt production in India due to Coronavirus

India’s biggest automaker Maruti Suzuki India and peers including Mahindra & Mahindra, Mercedes-Benz, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) as well as Hyundai Motor Co said they will halt car production in the country due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

The western state of Maharashtra, which has recorded the highest number of confirmed Coronavirus cases in the country, is home to one of India’s biggest auto hubs - Pune, where several car makers are set to halt production indefinitely or until March 31.

Mahindra has stopped manufacturing at one of its plants in Maharashtra and will suspend work at two others from Monday, it said in a statement.

Anand Mahindra, group company chairman, said on Twitter that the company will immediately begin work on how it can make ventilators at its plants.

“A lock-down over the next few weeks will help flatten the curve and moderate the peak pressure on medical care,” Mahindra said, adding that it will offer its holiday resorts as temporary care facilities and help the government in building such centres.

Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz and Fiat as well as bike maker Bajaj Auto all said they will halt production at their Pune plants until March 31. Fiat said it will not cut jobs and will continue to pay salaries of all its employees.

India’s top-selling bike maker Hero MotoCorp Ltd said on Sunday it has stopped manufacturing at all its plants in India, Bangladesh and Colombia.

Indian car-maker Tata Motors Ltd said on Friday it was rapidly scaling down activity at its car factory in Maharashtra and was preparing to close it if concerns about Coronavirus deepen.

Meanwhile Volkswagen AG’s India unit said on Sunday it has stopped production at its facility in Pune for three weeks as part of an ongoing business transition and is ensuring the safety of its employees.

South Korea’s Hyundai Motor said on Monday it was suspending production at its Chennai plant from Monday through the end of March in response to the state government’s lock-down measures as the virus spreads.