Breakfast meeting resurrects long-stalled Hinduja Group project in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: A breakfast meeting, coupled with assurances and a dedicated taskforce, was all it took for the Andhra Pradesh government to resurrect a long-stalled Hinduja Group project.

The Ashok Leyland bus manufacturing facility, initially proposed in 2018 for Vijayawada, had remained dormant for five years despite Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laying its foundation stone, during his previous term, on March 31, 2018.

The facility, designed with an annual production capacity of 4,800 buses, had faced numerous local and administrative hurdles that prevented its commissioning. The breakthrough came when Nara Lokesh, the state's IT Minister and chairman of the cabinet committee on job creation, personally invited the Hinduja family to Hyderabad for a breakfast meeting in December last year.

During this crucial meeting, Lokesh sought to reassure the Hindujas about Andhra Pradesh's renewed commitment as an investment destination. After identifying the site-specific challenges impeding the project, he established a specialized taskforce that systematically addressed all outstanding local and land-related issues over the following three months.

The efforts culminated with the brand new facility being inaugurated just three days ago on Wednesday, marking the end of a five-year delay.

At the breakfast meeting held at his residence, Lokesh highlighted the attractive possibilities for electric buses across India and positioned Andhra Pradesh as the ideal investment destination. He also emphasized the government's focus on renewable energy, outlining plans to develop 160 GW over the next five years.

Located at Malavalli, 40 km from Vijayawada, the modern plant spans 75 acres and incorporates advanced manufacturing technologies to maintain world-class quality standards. The facility is designed to produce both Ashok Leyland diesel buses and Switch Mobility's electric buses. With features including Nalanda, a modern Learning Center, and an advanced Service Training Center, the plant will significantly contribute to local workforce skill development and employment.

The facility has been designed as environmentally sustainable, featuring rooftop solar panels, LED lighting, battery-operated vehicles for in-plant logistics, positive water balance measures, and a zero-discharge system.

"Specifically, Lokesh took note of the challenges at site and how this project can be re-started. A task force was put in place and all outstanding local issues and land related issues were resolved over the last three months on a mission mode. This turnaround was scripted by Nara Lokesh, and left the Hinduja group impressed," a senior Andhra Pradesh official told DH.

During Wednesday's launch ceremony, Ashok Leyland and the Hinduja Group presented the keys of the Switch electric double-decker bus to the Government of Andhra Pradesh, which Minister Nara Lokesh received.

"Hinduja Group have had a long and productive relationship since the days of undivided Andhra Pradesh under dynamic Chief Ministers, NTR and N Chandrababu Naidu, the architect of the first technology governed state in India. We greatly look forward to expanding Hinduja Group's investment in Andhra - in power, mobility, manufacturing and other Service sectors like BFSI. Andhra has a great pool of human capital, particularly in the new and emerging Hi tech and digitally driven enterprises. The dynamism we see today in Andhra makes us very optimistic for investing more in the state," said Hinduja Group India, Chairman, Ashok Hinduja.