Cabinet approval to return land to MP government

NEW DELHI: The government today approved returning over 478 hectares of excess land that was acquired in Madhya Pradesh to build an automotive testing track.

The central government had acquired the land as part of its plans to build an automotive testing track at Pithampur in Indore under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infra Project (NATRIP) project.

"The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi today gave its approval for returning of approximately 478.307 hectares of land to the state government of Madhya Pradesh," an official statement said.

The deal comprises about 461.607 hectares of private land and 16.70 hectares government land, valued at around Rs 740 crore, for auto testing track at Pithampur in Indore, said the statement by the Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises.

The land land returned would be utilised by the state Government for allotment to the auto and related ancillary industries which will have a synergistic effect with the existing NATRAX project.

The National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX-Indore) is being set up on 4,140 acres land for comprehensive testing and evaluation of all type of vehicles.

The facility will have all types of surface type to test vehicles against varying terrains and stringency.