Covid-19 woes: Phone majors ring in post-lockdown drill as plants reopen

This was an unusual weekend at the Noida-Greater Noida industrial belt, more than 50 km away from downtown Delhi. Three electronics majors, which make up almost half the smartphone market in the country, opened up their factories after the longest shutdown so far lasting 48 days.

The government had eased norms for the manufacturing sector last month while extending the nationwide lockdown, but very few of the 3,000-odd electronics firms have managed to get approval to open their plants so far.

On Saturday, Samsung India Electronics, counted among the largest in the space, ushered in over 1,000 workers at its facility in Sector 81, Noida. Although the typical gathering at the plant’s entrance was missing, enthusiasm about getting back to business was only too apparent.