‘Every third car will have Gujarat tag’

AHMEDABAD: The Sanand-Bechraji stretch which is emerging as an auto hub has attracted investments worth Rs 23,000 crore in recent past. The two car companies, Ford and Maruti Suzuki, plan to roll out cars from their plants 2014 and 2016, respectively. The auto giants have said that auto ancillary industries will come up in the vicinity.

For Maruti, 20-odd auto ancillary units have signed MoUs to set up units in Detroj, Sanand, Becharaji and Mehsana. Speaking at a seminar, Gujarat: An Emerging Transport Hub, M M Singh, Chief Operating Officer Maruti Suzuki India, said, “We have asked ancillaries to come to Gujarat. Bechraji will be the next Gurgaon. When we began operations in Gurgoan, the place was not so much developed . But look how the centre has grown. Similar development will also take place in the Gujarat.”

Joginder Singh, president and managing director of Ford India said, “We have decided to invest $ 2 billion in India. Of these, around 50 per cent of the promised investment will come to Gujarat.” Singh said that the facilities given by the state government in terms of infrastructure , power and water were better than what other states had to offer. But there is still a need for more skilled manpower and a logistic infrastructure so that export can easily be facilitated, he said.

A S Puri, vice president, Tata Motors said that Gujarat is fast catching up with other auto hubs and will emerge as the major manufacturing hub. Every third car which will be rolled out in the country will be from Gujarat, he said.