Toyota resumes operations in India, reopens 171 dealerships and 146 service centres

Much like BMW, Honda, Maruti, Mercedes Benz and Renault, Toyota Kirloskar Motor will restart operations in their dealerships, service centres and industries. Since the 24th of March, the Indian Auto Industry was out of action, but slowly and steadily these automakers are recommencing their work.

The Indian Government has left it up to the local Governments of the states, to decide whether industries should be opened or not. Some states, where cases are surging, have naturally decided to extend the lockdown, ergo no functioning of industries, while some industries, where the number of green zones are higher, have seen a rebeginning of normalcy.

Toyota India has restarted 171 dealerships and 146 service centres, and Toyota will be making sure that safety and hygiene is maintained within these facilities. Furthermore, the guidelines as provided by the Government, and social distancing will be followed religiously by the employees of these premises.

For now, Toyota India has brought only small number of staff members in to work, but if Covid 19 begins to ease, then after getting permission from the Government, Toyota could perhaps increase the number of workforce present.

Toyota has also restarted production in their factory, located in Bidadi, Karnataka. However, production has begun on a small scale, and whether they increase/decrease the scale of production, can only be determined by the spread of Coronavirus.

On their end, Toyota is doing all they can to make sure that the working environment is a safe one for the workers. Toyota is conducting a preparation activity via which, the workers will be taught to adjust to a different work environment.

Apart from this, Toyota will also be giving a ‘Restart Manual’ to the employees, and this manual would contain guidlinese, which the workers have to follow before coming in to work, and after leaving as well. Specific emphasis has been laid on workers wearing masks and maintaining social distance while working. Even spaces like the common canteen can be entered on the basis of staggered timings, and this has been done to make sure that large groups of people do not reach the canteen at the same time.

Particular attention is also being paid to important spheres of work, such as the supply chain and spare parts, which are imperative for the healthy functioning of an automaker. Toyota claims that 75% of their suppliers have already been initiated, while the rest are on standby.

For an automaker to work, the dealerships, service centres and factories need to be work in tandem, and fortunately, the Government has finally allowed the auto industry in India to do the same. Soon, we will see more automakers returning back to business, as they would have quite the backlog to deal with.