We are into Lockdown phase 2 now. This week as described by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is most stringent. The Government is between a rock and a hard place (or “pahad” and “khaee” as the saying goes in Hindi). Longer the lockdown, worse it is on the economy. Maximum brunt is being born by the daily wage worker or the migrant worker Government has to feed now as they have lost their livelihood. How does one strike a balance?

Can the giant wheel of Indian economy start moving without violating the norms set to protect one from the corona virus? In order for the wheel to move, people have to start working. How do we have both the work and COVID-19 guidelines in place at the same time. Luck has it that it is possible to work from home for many people. But how about the work that’s not possible from home? A CEO can work from home but the shop floor mechanic, cannot. Let’s see the nature of workplaces people go to. A manufacturing company has manufacturing plants, warehouses, supply chain such as trucks, trains and even air cargo where their employees and contractors work. A bank will have offices and branches from where their business is done. On the other hand, an IT company will have offices from massive campuses to small remote offices. There may be special places like a data centre, mobile workplace like a truck, car, train and even let’s say an ambulance. Now human density in these places is well understood. For example, number of people in a warehouse or on manufacturing shop floor is far less than an office. Even within an office, a call centre IT company will be lot denser than a software development centre. And executive floor in a corporate office may have less human density than even an automated manufacturing plant. This list is not complete as retail meaning shops and stores, especially unorganised ones are in millions in India. And, one must not forget colleges and schools as many people are gainfully employed behind educational institutions. I know some of the leading Universities in US are thinking of how to get going as students live in hostels and physical classrooms are worst from social distancing point of view.

Question is, can these workplaces be made COVID-19 safety guidelines compliant? Then a supply chain company or a manufacturing plant can start operating, giving critical push to the giant wheel and alleviate the pain. WFH

Three key practices for protection from COVID-19 are: social distancing, washing hands with soap for minimum of 20 seconds and, wearing a mask. There are others but if I am asked to report to work to drive a truck, I will wear mask, carry a bottle of soap water myself and never go closer than 1 meter to anyone including my co driver and the cleaner. Same when my workplace is a warehouse or shop floor. or an office. If I am driver, I will ask my fellow driver and the cleaner continue to wear the mask and stay away as far away from each other while the truck is on the move.

Now can businesses enhance their quality processes to cover a pandemic. They sure can. India has rich expertise in ISO and other standards. Software export industry has demonstrated compliance to STPI guidelines thru self-regulation. Decades back, a Customs inspector used to sit outside software export companies to ensure there are no violation. Today STPI units ensure self-compliance. No one from STPI or Excise & Customs physically monitor day to day activities. CCTV cameras have been installed in most offices, manufacturing facilities etc. These can be used to track human movement and density. I will go one step further, wireless technologies such as Cell towers can give an approximation on human density say within a kilometre while a WiFi access points in a workplace can give the same within 50-100 meters. Geo spatial technologies can help a lot. These are good indicators to check if social distancing may be getting violated. And, let's err on the side of caution, technology gives a warning when problem may not be there.

These technologies are in use throughout India. What is laid out here is a different use case. You don’t need to look to US or other countries for expertise. Human density in a workplace is something we have better understanding than anybody else.

Companies have to worry about employees and contractors going home and coming back to work as well as mobile work force like drivers. But their tasks are simpler than police and Healthcare people.

I have not thought through detail implementation. Some may feel this is difficult. But these are not normal times. Extra ordinary circumstances require extra ordinary measures. It is difficult but not impossible. Close collaboration and active participation of all can make it happen.

Government in collaboration with industry associations like CII, FICCI, NASSCOM, TIE and many others can design and implement this. These can take into account Corona hotspots, red, orange and green zones.

@narendramodi, @CMOMaharashtra, @FollowCii, @Ficci_India, @Nasscom