Land allotment delay stalls Natrip’s auto-testing unit in UP

September 30th, 2008

Landmint.com reports that a delay in land allotment by the Uttar Pradesh (UP) government has stalled a Rs100 crore centre in Rae Bareli planned as part of the National Automotive Testing R&D Infrastructure Project, or Natrip, said a senior official associated with the project.

The Rae Bareli unit, which was to employ 500 people, was one of seven planned by the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises as part of a Rs1,718 crore project aimed at creating an advanced testing, validation and R&D infrastructure for the domestic, as well as global, automotive industry.

Once operational, the Rae Bareli unit would become the nodal centre for homologation, or road-worthiness certification, for tractors, three-wheelers, construction equipment vehicles; would house a road accident data analysis facility; and have a training facility for at least 1,000 drivers of specialized, off-the-road vehicles. It will also be associated with the National Safety Board, proposed by the ministry of road transport and highways in November 2007, with the objective of undertaking systematic analysis of road fatalities and other crucial aspects related to accidents. About 80,000 people die in road accidents every year in India.

Entry Filed under: Business News, Test Labs