10-Hour Workday on the Cards? Maharashtra Mulls Longer Shifts for Private Sector

The Maharashtra government is reportedly planning to extend daily working hours for private sector employees from the current nine hours to ten hours. The suggested amendments would require changes to the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017. 

At present, the law allows a maximum of 48 working hours per week, spread over six days, with a standard nine-hour cap per day. The planned amendment would permit a ten-hour workday while retaining the weekly limit of 48 hours. This means that employees may work longer shifts on some days while compensating with shorter hours on others. The state government has clarified that the change does not automatically increase the total weekly workload but provides flexibility in structuring daily shifts.

Officials familiar with the proposal indicated that the government is also considering a revision of overtime rules. Currently, employees can work overtime up to 50 hours in a quarter. Discussions are underway to increase this limit to 125 hours, particularly for industries where seasonal or urgent demand requires additional manpower. The new framework is expected to allow businesses to manage operations more efficiently while staying within the legal framework for worker welfare.

The proposed move has drawn attention because Maharashtra has one of the largest concentrations of private sector employees in India, across industries ranging from information technology and finance to textiles and manufacturing. Employers have argued that extending daily hours may help improve productivity and reduce operational costs, especially in industries with high overheads. However, trade unions and labor rights groups have expressed concerns that longer daily shifts could affect the physical and mental health of workers.

Health experts note that extended working hours, especially when combined with commuting stress in metropolitan areas like Mumbai and Pune, can contribute to fatigue, sleep disturbances, and higher risk of lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. Studies have also linked long workdays to reduced work-life balance and higher burnout rates.

The state government is expected to hold consultations with industry representatives, labor unions, and legal experts before finalizing the amendment. If approved, Maharashtra will become one of the few Indian states to formally allow a ten-hour private sector workday under law, while keeping the weekly work cap unchanged at 48 hours.

(Rh/Eth/TL/MSM)