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Coronavirus lockdown: Auto showrooms open amid tepid response

Last Updated 14 May 2020, 12:24 IST

Several automobile showrooms in the State Capital opened amid tepid response from the customers. The Bihar Government has permitted the two-wheelers and four-wheelers agencies to open their outlets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday with only 33 per cent of the staff strength.

After 50 days of lockdown, several auto showrooms opened their offices on Wednesday only to get a lukewarm response from the customers. According to an estimate, such showrooms would attract an average of 100 customers per day prior to lockdown. “But on Wednesday, we received merely two customers. One had to enquire about the deal he was negotiating about the purchase of his vehicle prior to March 24, while the other was interested to know about the servicing of his vehicle, which developed some snag after remaining inoperative for long,” said a showroom official.

The tepid response by customers here has been attributed to uncertainty over the salary in the private sector over the next few months. “There could be two prime reasons for such a lukewarm response from the customers. One, people are still in panic mode due to Covid-19. Secondly, other than Government employees, no one is sure about his salary for April-May or even later months. So, one wants to spend judiciously,” said one of the sales manager of a prominent auto showroom in the State Capital.

These showrooms opened only after the District Magistrate of Patna issued an order on May 12 allowing them to open their outlets, except in the containment zones, and function on three alternate days in a week. “The employees must wear face masks and gloves and should maintain social distancing. Besides, the employees should ensure the showrooms are regularly disinfected,” said the DM’s order, with a warning that flouting of guidelines would attract penal action under the relevant sections of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.

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(Published 14 May 2020, 12:24 IST)

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