AP IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh launched Ashok Leyland’s bus manufacturing unit on Wednesday. The state-of-the-art bus manufacturing unit set up in Mallavalli Model Industrial Park near Vijayawada marks a new journey for Andhra Pradesh, which is making all efforts to present itself as an attractive destination for investors.
Ashok Leyland’s bus manufacturing unit is spread over 40 acres and has capacity of manufacturing 4,800 buses per year. Ashok Leyland, a Hinduja Group company, is among the prominent players which set up its shop in the 1360-acre Mallavalli Model Industrial Park.
With Ashok Leyland operating a fullscale advanced bus manufacturing unit from Mallavalli, the facility is expected to give a big image boost to not just Vijayawada and Amaravati, but also spruce up AP’s identity as an attractive destination for investors.
“It was during our rule between 2014 and 19 that Mallavalli Model Industrial Park was established and Ashok Leyland came to AP. But, destructive policies of YSRCP Govt has posed serious troubles for many industries and investors. Even Ashok Leyland was one of the companies which quit AP due to YSRCP’s destruction,” stressed AP IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh, speaking after launching the new facility.
“I’m elated that we have brought back Ashok Leyland to AP again. We are extremely thankful to Hinduja Group and Ashok Leyland management and employees for making bus manufacturing unit fully operational and even rolling out new buses within 9 months,” said a visibly upbeat Nara Lokesh on the occasion.
The young Minister who is leaving no stone unturned to attract investments to AP, rode the swanky double-decker bus manufactured at Ashok Leyland manufacturing facility. He later flagged off buses manufactured by Ashok Leyland for MSRTC.
Young Minister Nara Lokesh profusely thanked Hinduja Group ownership team members Ashok Hinduja, Dheeraj Hinduja, Shom Hinduja and others for reposing their faith in AP to start bus manufacturing facility.
Ashok Leyland’s bus manufacturing facility at Mallavalli Model Industrial Park is set to create 600 new jobs in first phase and 1200 in the later phase. While these are direct jobs, 4 indirect jobs are expected to be created per each direct job.
