Maruti to resume production, will reopen Manesar plant on May 12

Maruti Suzuki India Limited has said that it will resume production of vehicles at its Manesar plant from May 12 after lockdown restrictions were eased.

"Maruti Suzuki India Limited would re-start the production of vehicles at its Manesar plant from May 12. All activities would be carried out strictly in accordance with the government regulations and guidelines and observing the company's own concern for the highest standards of safety," the company said in a letter to the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

According to reports, Maruti will manufacture 45,000 cars this month before up scaling to 65,000 in June. The country's largest car maker usually manufactures 150,000 cars on an average each month under normal conditions which has largely helped it maintain its position as the country's biggest car maker. It also exports units from the country and informed on Friday that 632 such units were exported from the Mundra port in April after following all guidelines for safety.

In April, Maruti could not sell a single car due to the ongoing lockdown across the country. In a historic first, the country's largest car maker had nothing to show in terms of sales for the entire month.

Challenge for Maruti will continue, however, despite opening of its Manesar plant. The supply chain for carmakers is still not up and running. It is one of the factors that RC Bhargava, Chairman at Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) pointed out while speaking to HT Auto earlier. He had said, "A car cannot be manufactured unless all the components of a car is available. So, if someone tells me start one factory here, it doesn't help me. I cannot start that factory for production. I can of course make preparations for starting production but I cannot assemble cars till my entire supply line is working and giving me components consistently."

On Wednesday, Maruti reopened 600 dealerships which were closed due to coronavirus-led lockdown, and has even started deliveries of the vehicles. The company, which has around 3,080 dealerships across 1,960 cities and towns in the country, has managed to open 474 Arena outlets, 80 Nexa dealerships and 45 commercial vehicle sales outlets.

The company has also started deliveries of cars with 55 units having already been dispatched over the last few days. Besides, the company has put in place a robust digital process to help customers buy vehicles without having the need to visit the showrooms, he added.

The auto major said it now offers the door-step delivery of cars. Besides, the dealerships will carry out complete sterilisation of the test-drive vehicles.

(With inputs from agencies)