Covid-19 lockdown: 1,330 industrial units, businesses given permission to resume activity in Gurugram

The district administration is trying to restart economic activities in the region in a phased manner. From April 20, when the relaxations were introduced, until now, the district administration has granted permission to 1,330 industrial and business units to start operations in Gurugram and Manesar in which 1.06 lakh workers are presently employed, revealed the data shared by the district administration.

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Shops and market complexes in urban and rural areas in the city have also been allowed to open in a limited manner with the condition that they meet all the required social distancing norms, said Amit Khatri, deputy commissioner, Gurugram. “While granting permission to online applications, it has been ensured that all norms for social distancing and sanitisation of work areas are met. To ensure that business activity is resumed and jobs remain safe, we are giving automatic approvals,” said Khatri.

Apart from the organised sector, the district administration has also given permission to 96 construction sites where work has started and over 20,000 workers are currently engaged. However, Khatri said that the developers will have to ensure that these workers stay at the site and are provided with food and other facilities.

To ensure that construction material, such as bricks are made available locally, the authorities have given permission to seven brick kilns to operate,in which nearly 600 workers are employed.

As per the district administration, permission has also been granted to 581 shops in rural areas and 1,243 shops in urban areas to operate partially during the week. However, shops selling non-essential items can remain open for two days in a week, while only shops selling essential commodities are allowed to function throughout the week.

The district administration has also started to work on 40 NREGA projects in which 715 workers have been employed till date.

A district administration spokesperson said economic activity has started to take off and a message has gone to workers in other states to return to the city as industry is ready to resume operations like before.