The applications for resumption have been received from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Aurangabad. (Representational Photo)

Nine days after lockdown restrictions were eased for industrial units in areas that had not seen COVID-19 cases in Maharashtra, signs of resumption of activity have begun emerging.

According to an official statement issued by the state-run Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation, 15,846 industrial units have applied for the resuming manufacturing and processing activity since April 20 when the restrictions were eased.

“All these applicants have submitted self-certified declarations or undertakings that they will abide by the terms and conditions laid down by the state and central governments to contain the spread of coronavirus,” said the statement. Of those who have applied, production activity has resumed in 4,500 units. “According to the management of these units, 3,83,613 workers were employed earlier. Of these, 90,000 have resumed duties,” stated the release.

“A total of 2,500 vehicles, which are fully compliant with laiddown norms, have been deployed to ferry these workers to and from the workplaces. None of the team members of these industries have any symptoms of COVID-19,” it added. The applications for resumption have been received from Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik and Aurangabad.

According to MIDC, in the first phase of the easing of lockdown conditions before April 20, approvals were given to manufacturing and processing units in Konkan, Pune, Nashik, Aurangabad, Amravati and Nagpur divisions. These included 1,966 industries producing essential goods and 156 continuous processing units – ones that run 24×7. Maharashtra has a total of 36,623 registered factories.

Units that have resumed production include Hindustan Lever, JSW Steel, POSCO Steel, Uttam Galwa, Ambuja Cement, Ultratech, Golden Fiber and KEC International Limited. Many others are expected to start soon, the MIDC added.