Macrotech, Raheja Corp to pay for employees' Covid-19 vaccination

Two of the largest city-based realty players -- the IPO-bound Macrotech Developers, earlier known as Lodha Group, and K Raheja Corp -- said they would pay for the vaccinations of their employees.

Two of the largest city-based realty players -- the IPO-bound Macrotech Developers, earlier known as Lodha Group, and K Raheja Corp -- on Wednesday said they would pay for the COVID-19 vaccinations of their employees.

These two companies join the select few large corporates which have announced such a move, led by Reliance Industries, which was the first to make the offer to pay for the vaccination of its employees and their family members.

Later, HDFC Bank and ICICI Bank, among a few others, also said they would pay for the vaccine shots for their staffers and their families.

An official of Macrotech, which is the largest real estate developer by residential sales in the country, told PTI that it directly employs around 2,700 people and around 9,000 who are construction workers, architects, designers and vendors.

The benefit is open to all of them and immediate families who would be around 7,500. It expects overall around 15,000 people to benefit.

The dependents include spouses and parents, and third party resources who have been associated with the group since the pandemic outbreak last March, said the company, which is the second largest developer by area delivered.

Its HR President Janhavi Sukhtankar said every member associated with the group is a part of the Lodha family, and it is committed to their health and safety in every possible way.

The government policies allows vaccination to everyone above 60 years and those above 45 with co-morbidities.

Meanwhile, K Raheja Corp also said it will cover the cost of COVID-19 vaccination for all its employees, who number around 1,500.

Speaking about the initiative, which is limited only to its employees, the firm's Chief HR Officer Urvi Aradhya said though the shot is voluntary, they are encouraging the staffers to get vaccinated for their safety as well as that of their families and colleagues.