Hyundai, Toyota halt manufacturing operations

Hyundai Motor and Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) have announced the suspension of manufacturing operations at their respective plants amid coronavirus outbreak.

Hyundai has decided to halt production at its Chennai plant while TKM has put brakes on manufacturing at its Bidadi facility in Karnataka.

“The company will be taking the preventive counter-measure of suspending its manufacturing operations at the Chennai facility from March 23 till further notice to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) – a global pandemic,” Hyundai Motor India said in a statement.

TKM said that keeping the safety of employees as the top priority, the company has voluntarily decided to temporarily halt production in its plant in Bidadi, Karnataka till further announcement.

The company has also expanded work from home for all its employees in its regional SBUs (Strategic Business Units) in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata & Bangalore, it added. On Sunday, various automakers like Maruti Suzuki India, Honda Cars, Mahindra & Mahindra and Fiat announced a temporary halt in manufacturing operations at their respective facilities.