By IANS,
Gandhinagar : From Singur in West Bengal to Sanand in Gujarat, it has been a long journey for Tata Motors’ Nano. The first of the world’s most inexpensive small car will roll out from its relocated new plant near Ahmedabad Wednesday.
Nineteen months after announcing relocation of the Nano plant from West Bengal to Gujarat, Tata Group Chairman Ratan Tata and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi will flag off nine Nano cars from its new location on a drive of some 12,000 km passing through 40 cities across 20 states.
The month-long drive across the country is expected to reassure customers that the vehicle is sturdy, amid concerns over its safety.
According to company sources, about 30,000 Nano cars manufactured at the TML facilities in Pune (Maharashtra) and Pantnagar (Uttaranchal) have hit the road so far.
It was Oct 7, 2008, that Ratan Tata announced in Gandhinagar his plan to shift the Nano plant from Singur to Sanand.
This followed the state government’s efforts to attract the Nano facility by allotting nearly 1,100 acres of land for the project, complete with space for a vendor’s park (ancilliary units).
This was in addition to a host of concessions given by the state government to the project.
The Nano cars from Gujarat enter commercial production this year as the state celebrates its golden jubilee.