Maruti looks to park next to Nano
Seeks Land Near Tata Motors’ Sanand Plant
TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Ahmedabad: The country’s largest car-maker Maruti plans to park in Gujarat, which is challenging Tamil Nadu to become India’s Detroit. Maruti Suzuki India has decided to set up a manufacturing unit near Ahmedabad and is keen to be as close to Sanand as possible. Sanand is the most likely site for the plant equipped to make 250,000 cars annually, government sources said, adding that “there are stll issues to be sorted out”.
Gujarat already houses auto majors like General Motors and Tata Motors that have plants in Halol and Sanand, respectively. Maruti Suzuki’s proposed plant may be dedicated to exports of Swift, Estilo and A-Star, which it currently exports to Europe and Africa from Mundra port. The company exported over 1 lakh units from Mundra, where it already manages a full-fledged pre-dispatch inspection unit. The company’s existing two facilities in Gurgaon and Manesar have a capacity of 1.2 million units.
“Maruti has nearly finalised a 500-acre plot next to the Tata Motors’ Nano plant in Sanand,” said an official in the state industries department. But he said there is no surety that this land would be procured. A Maruti spokesperson refused to comment. Maruti Suzuki, it is learnt, has demanded concessions similar to the ones given to Tata Motors, which shifted its plant from West Bengal to Gujarat. Sanand, it seems, is an ideal location with direct road and rail link with Mundra and Kandla ports.
Ahmedabad district officials said “they are trying to clear the decks for Maruti to park in Ahmedabad district — as close to Sanand as possible. Even while confirming that a Maruti plant would be coming up in Gujarat, state chief secretary AK Joti said, “We’ve so far no knowledge of the exact location”. Car firms like Ford and Peugeot and tractor manufacturer John Deere are exploring possibilities for setting up units in Gujarat, which houses plants of Bombardier and Asia Motor Works. A number of auto component manufacturers are also in the process of setting up shop in the region.
Maruti’s plant near Sanand will be the country’s largest carmakers’ first plant outside Haryana. The picture above is of an assembly line in Gurgaon
source
No comments:
Post a Comment