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Land cleared for Tatas' car project in WB

Special Correspondent

Many MNCs have evinced interest in the project; the car will roll out in 2008

KOLKATA: Tata Motors has three to four proposals for locating the small car project, but it wants to set up its first project in West Bengal, since the company had given its commitment to do so, Ravi Kant, Managing Direcotr, said.

Addressing a press meet here on Saturday, he said the company had been informed that consents for acquisition of 927 acres had been received and "this was extremely encouraging.'' The company was happy with the progress, he said, adding that it expected that the entire land (1,000 acres) would be acquired in the next few weeks.

Mr. Kant said the car would roll out by 2008 and all parallel activities like choosing a technology and testing were on. There were offers from several multi-national companies to be associated with the project.

Tata Motors would begin giving orders for equipment in a few weeks and the process of vendor selection was on now. The initial capacity had been pegged at 2.50 lakh vehicles.

On threats being given by the State's Opposition parties to block the project, Mr. Kant said when the company received the State's offer, it had almost decided on another location. "We changed it on grounds of commercial viability and because we liked the way the entire matter was handled by the State Government. Moreover there is an emotional connect between the Tata House and the West Bengal Government,'' he said. It was now for the people to decide whether they should take a balanced long-term view of the benefits of the project, he said.

Explaining why Singur in Hooghly district had been chosen as the location, the Managing Director said that while this project would catalyse a reindustrialisation of the State, it was also expected to bring about a revolutionary change in the industry — "a Rs. 1 lakh car is a disruptive product — it is a crown jewel project for the Tatas'' and it had to be located where it could be showcased, he said.

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