Nano moves to Gujarat

Font Size

Print

Feedback

Email

Discuss

Ratan Tata’s dream car Nano has driven all the way from the east to the west, taking a political turn to extreme right from the left.

Singur’s loss became Sanand’s gain on Tuesday, when the Tata Motors relocated its Rs 1-lakh car project to Gujarat, at an investment of Rs 2,000 crore, declaring that efforts will be made to roll out the world’s cheapest car froma make-shift plant to meet the deadline.

“This is an extremely momentous and happy day for us because we have been through a rather sad experience from a small quarter of residents of West Bengal despite the state government’s efforts,” Tata Group chairman Ratan Tata said at a joint press conference with chief minister Narendra Modi.

Praising Modi for the speedy allocation of about 1,100 acres in centrally located Sanand, near Ahmedabad, Tata said, “The site in Gujarat, already under the possession of the state government, will help Tata Motors establish a new dedicated mother plant with the shortest possible time lag and least possible increment project cost.”

Together with Tata Motors, about 60 vendors would also move to the new location.

Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant and industrial secretary Gouri Kumar signed the MoU for the project.

To begin with, Tata Motors would produce 2.5-3 lakh cars annually and the capaicty is expandable up to five lakh

cars, Tata said.

When asked about the timing of launching Nano, Tata said, “It will be our endeavour to be close to the timeline so that we can keep our promise.”

He, however, did not specify any timeline, promising an announcement later.

“Building this plant in Gujarat will take some time and we have some make-shift plan to introduce Nano in the market in the interim month while the plant is being built,” he said.

A company statement said it would explore the possibility of manufacturing Nano at its existing facilities in Pune and Pantnagar and would launch the car in the last quarter (Jan-March) of the current financial year.

Tata Motors also plans to have CNG, electric and export-variants manufactured at the mother plant in Sanand, Tata said.

For Narendra Modi, it was a day of personal triumph as he gifted the small wonder to the state on the seventh anniversary of his chief ministership.