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250 workers lose job as Sonepat cycle unit wraps up operations
Milton Cycle Industries Ltd
Milton Cycle Industries Ltd. that employed around 250 workers has closed down operations at its Sonepat unit. Set up in 1951, the unit initially manufactured bicycle parts and gradually produced its own product.
Surender Malik, vice-president of Milton Cycles Workers’ Union, said, “Workers have been waiting for the salary since March this year and they had received only 50% of the wages for a year between March 2020 and March 2021. Around 250 workers are currently working here and all of them have been sacked without notice. This company can be run but it has collapsed due to family dispute.”
Sonepat assistant labour commissioner said the company owners had submitted all documents regarding closing the operations. “The factory was shut down due to dispute in the owners’ family. A case is continuing in the National Company Law Tribunal in Chandigarh,” he added.
Milton Cycle Industries Ltd’s manager Girdharwal refused to comment on the issue. “Everything is in public domain. We will not speak on this matter,” he added.
Surender Singh, president of Milton cycles workers’ union said, “Milton was producing 1.5 lakh bicycles by the end of 2008, employing around 1, 200 workers. After a rift in the owner’s family, both Atlas and Milton suffered immensely,” Singh added.
The owners of the Atlas and Milton cycles come from the same family. Both set up separate manufacturing units in Sonepat in 1951. At that time, Milton would produce bicycle parts for the family’s more popular brand, Atlas. After a feud in the family in 2003, the ownership of Milton’s unit went to Jai Dev Kapoor and the one of Atlas was operated by Rajiv Kapoor, Arun Kapoor and Vikram Kapoor until June last year when it closed down the unit in Sahibabad.
