Aug 28, 2008

Business - First Nanos from Uttarkhand

NEW DELHI: Tata Motors appears to have started working on a Plan B for the Nano. It is gearing up to roll out a couple of thousand units a month from its Pantnagar plant in Uttarakhand, according to vendor sources. This may help the Tatas to meet the October deadline for Nano's launch, despite the ongoing trouble at its plant at Singur in West Bengal. Highly placed sources told TOI that the company is planning to produce around 100 units a day at its plant in Uttarakhand, a state that not only offers lucrative tax breaks but also has many of Tata Motors' key vendors. "The company has plans to produce about 3,000 units a month in Uttarakhand. While the figure is relatively low keeping in mind the company's overall production targets, it would certainly help them meet the October deadline if the turmoil at Singur continues," a source said. The company had earlier said that it would go in for multiple locations for manufacturing the Rs 1 lakh car. When asked, a company spokesperson said: "Tata Motors maintains that Singur would be the first and mother plant for Nano." However, he refused to comment specifically on other manufacturing locations. Vendors are now gearing up to meet the company’s call to supply material at its Uttarakhand plant. "Our material has already gone to them," a key vendor said on condition of anonymity.

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