Floated four tenders worth Rs. 15.9 crore
Indore: Despite stiff opposition from AKVN for huge land allotment, the National Automotive Testing and R& D Infrastructure Project ( NATRIP) has increased the pace of construction work at its Pithampur site and it hoped to set up labs and small and medium tracks by the end of this year.
NATRIP is constructing world’s second biggest autotesting track and auto- testing laboratories at Pithampur. The project would spread over an area of 4200 acres. Under the project, one high speed and 13 small and medium auto- testing tracks and autotesting labs would be built.
Speaking to this correspondent, CEO of NATRIP Nitin R Gokarn said: “ We have increased the pace of construction work for small and medium tacks at Pithmapur and we are concentrating on tracks and labs at present.” Gokarn further added: ‘ We have floated four tenders worth Rs 15.9 crore in February 27, this year. Now, we are at pre- bid session.”
He expressed hope that the tenders would be awarded to successful bidders by June this year. On the question of paucity of fund, he said: “ We are currently focusing on completing the small and medium track first with the available fund.” On the demand raised by MP Audyogik Kendra Vikas Nigam ( AKVN), Indore to terminate the huge land allotted to NATRIP in the wake of slow pace of progress. In this regard, the AKVN had also written a letter to the Industry Department demanding to raise the issue with NATRIP, New Delhi about cancelling the land issued to later.
The NATRIP CEO made it clear that they had not received any letter from the State Government in this regard. He said that they have increased the pace of project work at Pithampur site and expressed hope that the projects would be completed by the end of this year. According to the industry experts, in fact the project is running behind schedule as it had to be completed by 2011. It is notable that the State Government has allotted 4200 acres land to NATRIP at Pithampur, which is the biggest land allotment to a Central Government project.
The reason for offering huge land to the body is to promote automobile industry in MP and making Pithampur an Auto- Industry Hub. So far the Indian automobile companies have to move abroad along with their vehicles to test their different qualities at different kind of tracks. After completion of all tracks at Pithmapur, such kind of facility would be available in India. Testing tracks in Pune and Chennai are smaller to Pithampur.
