Second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic throws auto SMEs out of gear

Hope rests on exports and festive season accelerating recovery

The automobile hub of Chakan in Pune district is dotted with advertisements offering industrial sheds on rent. But with manufacturing activity in the area having slowed down, there are few takers for them. Salary delays and job losses are common, too, as small and medium enterprises (SMEs) struggle to cope with the impact of the second wave of Covid-19.

“The pandemic has been like a flood. Those who are weak and inefficient have been swept away, while the strong have survived,” says Lalit Kumar Pahwa, managing director of Pahwa Metaltech.

An auto industry veteran, Pahwa started his venture in Chakan