Tata's Rs 1 lakh car: WB's loss could be UP's gain

Lucknow, Sep 29: While Tata Motors' proposed People's Rs one lakh-car project in West Bengal runs into land acquisition problems, Uttar Pradesh may be the alternative location for this project.

The West Bengal government was supposed to hand over 1,000 acre land to the Tatas on September 27, the deadline which expired on Wednesday.

Uttar Pradesh, which has the required land available with it, may offer an alternative to Ratan Tata who, it now appears, may miss the deadline of mid-2008 he had set earlier for Tata Motors' much hyped Rs 1-lakh car project coming up in West Bengal, if the state government fails to hand over the land he had asked for.

As Tata Motors Managing Director Ravi Kant had already expressed his displeasure and indicated to relocate the project to alternative sites if the land at Singur was not handed over by the end of this year, UP is ready to lap up the opportunity.

Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee, joined by Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi, has been protesting conversion of fertile multi-crop land where the project has been proposd to be established.

''We are definitely in the position for this ambitious project, if Tatas desire to come here,'' highly placed sources told UNI here today.

What Tatas require at the moment is about 1,000 acre land and the same is available with the UP government at atleast two places.

One chunk of land is situated in Sandila about 50 km from the state capital. ''The land has already been acquired by UP State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC),'' confirmed sources.

Another piece of land is in Bulandshahar which is in the process to be acquired.

Industrial department sources said UP government would also be able to extend maximum concessions to the project if it came up.

The prototype of one lakh-car, the four door small car, is already ready with Tata Motors' Pune lab.

UNI