Urban News

Sorurce : The Business Line Date : 04.06.2009

Tata Motors bags a lion’s share of bus orders under JNNURM

Priyanka Vyas

New Delhi, June 3 Tata Motors has bagged a lion’s share of bus orders under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Of the 7,815 buses – for which orders have been placed by various State Governments under the programme – Tata Motors is estimated to have got orders for 4,689 buses.

“Of the order for about 8,000 buses, which has been cleared so far under the JNNURM scheme, Tata Motors has got about 60 per cent,” said a Tata Motors spokesperson in an email response.

Ashok Leyland, the country’s second largest commercial vehicle maker, has got an order of 3,200 buses.

“We have an order of 3,200 units so far. These are fully-built, low-floor buses with certain specifications. We are ramping up production to ensure deliveries in four to six months,” Mr Rajive Saharia, Executive Director, Marketing, Ashok Leyland, told Business Line.

Players in game

A spokesperson for Eicher Motors said it was against the company policy to disclose its order book while the company was participating in a programme.

Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland are the largest players. Other producers include Eicher Motors, Volvo Buses and Swaraj Mazda. Mahindra & Mahindra and Force Motors also make small buses that are classified as passenger carriers in the light commercial vehicles segment, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

During 2008-09, sale of Tata Motors’ medium and heavy buses dipped 8.83 per cent to 15,442 units. Ashok Leyland too saw a similar decline in sales in the same period, to 16,049 units.

States’ orders

The bus procurement scheme of States under the JNNURM was announced as a part of the fiscal stimulus package to provide impetus to the commercial vehicle producers, who were facing a difficult time with sales having nosedived. The deadline is to place an order of 14,695 buses by the end of the month.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Urban Development, Andhra Pradesh leads the race in placing orders, having placed an order of 1,500 units.

The others in the fray are Uttar Pradesh at 1,310 units, Maharashtra at 1,250 and Karnataka at 1,100 units. Kerala, West Bengal and Delhi too have finalised their orders recently.

Source : The Hindu Date : 08.06.2009

MCD opposes separate body for development of Walled City

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Reacting to reports that the State Government was deliberating on formation of a Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation to improve the conditions of the Walled City of Delhi in view of the upcoming Commonwealth Games, the Mayor has dubbed the move as the Government’s latest tactic to “interfere” in the working of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

New body

The new body would primarily take care of various structures existing in the area which are important from the archaeological and heritage point of view and will also be responsible for general uplift of the area.

Confidence

Delhi Mayor Kanwar Sain said: “In case the Government wishes to take up any work directly concerning the MCD then it must take us into confidence and consult us in advance before embarking on any such project. We are already in the process of implementing some projects for the development of Shahjahanabad and Old Delhi areas under the Chandni Chowk Redevelopment Project and the Jama Masjid Precinct Redevelopment Project among others.”

Supplement

“If any of the functions of Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation are seen as usurping the rights of the MCD, then we would fundamentally object to that as we are confident that we can discharge any work entrusted to us in a timely and efficient manner. We hope that this new body would only supplement the work which we are already undertaking,” he added.