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GURGAON :
Multinational companies, BPOs and IT-enabled services (ITES) in Gurgaon may have to allow their employees to work from home until the end of July, says the CEO of the Gurgaon Metropolitan Development Authority, V S Kundu.
Kundu, who is also Haryana’s additional chief secretary, added that several real estate projects, including those of DLF, have received the green signal to resume construction, but within social distancing standards.
Part of the National Capital Region, Gurgaon is known as the city of the millennium and is home to many BPOs, MNCs, and tech giants, including Infosys, Genpact, Google, and Microsoft.
The Gurgaon district administration had issued a notice in mid-March asking multinationals, BPOs, IT companies, corporations and industries to allow working from home.
“From now on it seems that this notice to work from home will continue until the end of July. Everyone with offices in Gurgaon should continue to work from home as much as possible, “Kundu told PTI.
Kundu, who is in charge of managing the COVID-19 crisis for the Gurgaon district, said it is advisable for companies to ensure that as many employees as possible work from home.
This may not be possible for industries and manufacturing, but should be followed whenever possible, he added.
Kundu said that few construction sites on the GMDA and NHAI projects have been able to resume work within social distancing standards.
“Construction sites where workers are already staying on site or those where workers are within walking distance can resume work while adhering to social distancing standards,” he said.
Such is the nature of the coronavirus pandemic that no one knows “when we will return to previous normality,” said the GMDA CEO.
“I may have to go to a new normal,” he added.
In addition to being a corporate hub, Gurgaon is also a hub for the automotive industry.
51 cases of COVID-19 have been reported. Of these, 35 have been recovered. It is in the red zone and is the most affected district along with Nuh, Palwal and Faridabad in Haryana.
The state has reported 289 cases (including 176 that have been cured, discharged, or migrated) and three deaths, according to the Union Health Ministry on Sunday.
Kundu described the situation in Gurgaon as “quite under control” and said there is no evidence of community transmission.
Gurgaon has been effectively blocked since March 22, two days before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement of a shutdown in India to stop the spread of the disease. This gave the administration an advantage and allowed it to manage the situation effectively, the official said.
The administration is working on the twin goals of saving lives and guaranteeing livelihoods, he said.
The district administration is conducting surveys and will begin providing food stamps to poor families who do not have ration cards. This will give them rations for three months.
The district administration has been ensuring trouble-free supply of rations through its various channels, Kundu added.
He said that the manufacture of personal protective equipment (PPE) has also started. Two apparel companies have received permission to manufacture PPE at their plants.
