Swine flu: Auto majors issue travel advisories

With the country's auto hub Pune under the severe grip of highly contagious swine flu, multinational auto majors such as Renault and General Motors have issued travel advisories to their employees.

Leading automakers such as Tata Motors, Skoda, Mahindra & Mahindra, Mahindra Renault, General Motors and Bajaj have production facilities or offices in Pune, the epicentre of H1N1 virus, and other parts of Maharashtra. The swine flu has claimed 10 victims in Pune and scores have tested positive in the region.

"We have issued travel advisory to our employees that there should be no movement from office unless it is very urgent. We are closely monitoring the situation at our logistics centre in Pune," a Renault India spokesperson told PTI.

The company has asked its employees to avoid public spaces in their personal life also, he added.

General Motors Vice-President P Balendra said: "We have our medical set up in both Talegaon and Halol plants. Any person coming from any of the affected countries has to get through this check up system."

The company has also asked its employees not to travel to any of the swine flu affected countries, unless it is unavoidable, he added.

Earlier, comapies in the IT space and hospitality sector had also issued travel advisories.