As many as 1,000 companies in the Gurgaon to Bawal industrial belt stopped production today, Thursday, in support of the ongoing 48-hour nationwide strike by central trade unions that started Wednesday.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Suzuki Motorcycle India Ltd, Hero Motocorp, Rico Auto, Sona stearing and Sunbeam are some of the many companies where production came to a standstill today. Estimates suggest that nearly 1.5 lakh workers are on the strike.

Kuldeep Jhangu, the general secretary of Maruti Udyog Kamgar Union, confirmed on Wednesday that nearly 10,000 workers of Gurgaon and Maneser plants would be participating in the strike.

Speaking on the topic, Jhangu said, "We have given a notice to management of both Gurgaon and Maneser plants of MSIL to shut down operations on Thursday."

The managements of most of the companies declared official leave on Thursday to avoid any unpleasant incident.

Unions of other components manufacturers, including Rico Auto and Satyam Auto, are also said to be participating in the strike.

Eleven central trade unions have put forward a charter of ten demands, including urgent measures control soaring prices, strict enforcement of labour laws in all places of work, end to disinvestment in public sector units, social security net for workers in the unorganized sector, and hiking minimum wage to Rs 10,000 per month.