The construction of Tata Motors’ Nano plant in Sanand, Gujarat is in full swing and critical infrastructure will be in place by end-November, top sources told Business Line.
Tata Motors officials have already indicated that the Nano will debut from Sanand in 2010 and the interim period will see it being assembled in small numbers at the Pantnagar facility which is already home to the Ace.
“There is a schedule in place and construction is progressing according to this timeframe,” said a Tata Motors spokesperson. The company had pulled out of Singur, West Bengal in October 2008 and opted for Gujarat as the new home for the Nano.
The State government had handed over 1,100 acres for this project.
Shapoorji Pallonji, Ahmedabad-based Phenix Varco Pruden and a handful of other engineering and construction companies are involved in setting up infrastructure for the plant.
Tata Motors has reportedly handed over contracts for construction of different facilities within the Nano plant to multiple builders. This will help speeden up the process.
Road infrastructure
Pre-engineering steel building manufacturer Phenix Varco Pruden, entrusted with the construction of the paint shop of Nano plant as well as the reinstallation of 35 ancillary buildings (first installed in Singur), is likely to finish its work by end-March. These belong to Tata Motors and are part of the mother plant.
Although all buildings will be ready by April-May, it will still take time for the mechanical and electronic installations to be in place.
The construction of the press shop, power train facility and assembly line also are under different stages of completion. “For the plant to be 100 per cent complete, it requires creation of other infrastructure such as roads and drainage. A 15-km road within the plant is to be readied,” said a source.
Vendor park
The creation of a vendor park also will take a few months longer.
“Many suppliers may not set up their facilities in the park immediately. Only those who make huge components will set up units initially as this could translate into heavy overheads for transport.
The others can supply parts from their existing facilities,” sources said.