Maruti to lift Manesar lockout tomorrow

After a month-long lockout at its Manesar facility, Maruti Suzuki India is ready to reopen the plant tomorrow with less than a tenth of its total workforce slated to resume operations in a single shift.

The company had declared an indefinite lockout at the Manesar plant on July 21 following the worst ever violence in its history on July 18 that left one senior official dead and nearly 100 others injured.

"We are reopening the plant with 300 workers. With this workforce, we will operate just a single shift from 8 am to 4:30 pm," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chief Operating Officer (Administration) S Y Siddiqui told PTI.

Initially about 150 cars will be rolled out every day instead of 1,500-1,700 units earlier. Production will be gradually ramped up at the plant, which has an annual capacity of 5.5 lakh units.

The company will restart the production at the unit under heavy police presence. It has also formed its own special force, comprising ex-service men.

MSI has also decided to terminate services of 500 permanent workers, who were allegedly found to be involved in the violence inside the plant. Besides, MSI is also said to be planning to remove another 500 contract workers over their alleged role in the violence and arson.

Prior to the incident, the plant had an employee strength of 3,300, of which 1,528 were permanent.

To increase the workforce, the company will start fresh recruitment of permanent workers from September 2 and existing contract workers will also be considered for the same.