Haryana plans new automobile hub

CHANDIGARH - The Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal region of Haryana has been identified as an automobile hub by the central and state governments, a Haryana minister said here Monday.

Haryana Industry Minister Mahendar Partap Singh said that the state would accord priority to the automobile sector in allotment of developed industrial land in the region.

He said apart from allotment to the existing manufacturers for meeting their expansion requirements, land would also be given in this zone to new entrepreneurs.

The Gurgaon-Manesar-Bawal belt is located in the national capital region (NCR) of Delhi.

The minister said that the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation had earlier allotted eight acres of land to the Automotive Research Association of India in industrial model township (IMT), Manesar.

The land was given for setting up an automotive testing laboratory, which is being run by the National Automotive Testing and Research and Development Infrastructure Project.

Another plot measuring 46 acres has been allotted at concessional rates in IMT, Manesar, for this purpose, he added.

Automobile manufacturing sector constitutes Haryanas primary industrial strength with the presence of giants like Maruti Suzuki, Hero Honda, Honda Motors and Escorts.

The minister said that the presence of the automobile giants had led to the development of a large number of ancillary units in this sector. A number of automobile and automobile component units have already set up base in this hub.

He said that Maruti Suzuki is developing its testing track and research and development facility at IMT, Rohtak, which will further boost the development of this industry in the region.