Tata Nano, the world’s cheapest car, is set to enter full swing production following the inauguration of Tata Motors' manufacturing facility in Sanand. The Nano’s mother plant was inaugurated by Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi and Tata Group chairman, Ratan Tata.
Spread over about 1,100 acres, the Sanand plant has been created at an investment of about Rs 2,000 crore. The new facility has an annual manufacturing capacity of 2.5 lakh units, which can subsequently be increased to 3.5 lakh units per annum. Pilot commercial production of Nano at Sanand has already begun, with deliveries from the plant, including the BS IV Tata Nanos, starting this month.
Speaking on the occasion, Ratan Tata said, “We are happy that the Tata Nano has found its home at Sanand in Gujarat. We would like to thank everyone who has made this possible, particularly the Honourable Chief Minister, Narendra Modi. I am glad that we will now be able to manufacture the Tata Nano at a plant, set up in record time by the Tata Motors team who have and continue to receive full support from the Gujarat administration.”
"When I came here first on an industry visit invited by Gujarat Chief Minister, I was told that if the Nano plant is not in Gujarat, I will be a stupid.” “I am no longer stupid after investing on the plant in Gujarat," he added.
The production at the Sanand plant begins almost two years after it was forced to shift the Nano’s manufacturing plant from West Bengal. Built in a record time of 14 months starting November 2008, the integrated facility comprises Tata Motors’ own plant, spread over 725 acres, and an adjacent vendor park spread over 375 acres to house key component manufacturers for the Tata Nano.
To celebrate the inauguration of the plant, a fleet of Tata Nanos began a country-wide drive, called the Nano Superdrive, from Sanand. The drive was flagged off by Ratan Tata. The drive will cover 15,000 km touching 36 cities across the country, before converging at Sanand on June 28.
For more details on the Superdrive mission, click here