Anantapur: Penukonda region returns to near normalcy with Kia's operations

Anantapur: The Kia Automobiles which was reopened on May 8, 2020 after a gap of 40 days is operating on a single shift basis with just 800 workers working from 6 am to 1 pm. According to factory sources, it will take a couple of months to go for 3 shifts operation.

There is some semblance of life with some restaurants, wayside tea stalls and tiffin centres doing some business.

The Erramanchi village in Penukonda mandal in the district where Kia Motors is located is now limping back to normalcy. A Korean restaurant owner Shian Shu talking to this reporter says that it might take more than a month for restoration of 3 shifts. An official working with the Kia plant Administration says that the loss of life caused by the Corona virus deaths is minimal in the country when compared to the colossal and staggering economic loss the country had faced. The Korean giant and its ancillaries together account for employment generation to more than 15,000 families.

The strain on the company economy is staggering with Kia paying daily wages to its 3000 odd daily wage workers for over 60 days during the lock-down and partial lock-down period now.