Life & Style | Motoring

Tata stops work at Nano plant on threats to workers

Tata Motors Ltd., India's biggest truckmaker, stopped work at its factory for the world's cheapest car after workers were threatened by a political party demanding the return of farmland used for the plant.

  • Bloomberg
  • Published: 14:49 August 29, 2008
  • Gulf News

West Bengal: Tata Motors Ltd., India's biggest truckmaker, stopped work at its factory for the world's cheapest car after workers were threatened by a political party demanding the return of farmland used for the plant.

"Our employees and workers are not attending work today," Tata Motors' spokesman Debasis Ray said on Friday. "We are assessing the situation."

Trinamool Congress, the biggest opposition party in the communist-controlled West Bengal state where the Nano factory is located, started an indefinite protest on August 24, asking for return of the land to farmers.

Tata Motors' Chairman Ratan Tata said last week that he may move the plant if disruptions to work continue.

Ray said the work was halted at the factory for the first time today after the indefinite strike began.

Mamata Banerjee, the leader of Trinamool Congress, said on Tuesday that 162 hectares of land acquired for the factory must be returned to farmers to end the strike.

Tata Motors gained 4.7 per cent to 435 rupees at 12:26 pm in Mumbai trading on Friday. The stock has declined 41 per cent so far this year.

The 623-cc Nano is crucial for Tata Motors, India's biggest truck maker, to boost sales among first-time car buyers in India, where more than 45 million people use motorcycles for transportation.

  • Rate this article
  • Average reader rating (0 votes) 0 Stars
Tools

Emailing an article to friend is a simple way to share a news item. Your friend will receive an email with your name and email address as well any personal message you choose to send.

The information you provide on this page will not be used to send unsolicited emails.

This service is not intended to encourage spam, and action may be taken against individuals who maliciously enter personal details of another individual.

Share this article

More from Motoring

Gulf News
Popular in Motoring
Life & Style editor's choice
Baby Boomer: BMW's X1
Articles

Baby Boomer: BMW's X1

Richard M Hammond gets acquainted with BMW's new baby X1

Popular in GNTV
Popular in Pictures