Production starts at Ashok Leyland’s AP plant

Chennai: 09-10-2019, For City: MTC Green Bus Electric Bus in Chennai Built by Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland, The bus that can seat 32 people is equipped with a host of features including air suspension facilities, GPS facility besides automatic doors, electric buses are fitted with 'fire detection and suppression system' and can travel up to 120 km on a single charge, no gear box, no engine and (hence) no pollution. Photo: M. Karunakaran

Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland on Friday started commercial production of buses at its greenfield plant in Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh.

It is the company’s first plant in Andhra Pradesh. Spread over 75 acre, the plant, once fully completed, would be able to produce 4,800 buses per annum, said the company in a statement.

While it would have the capability to produce the entire range of Ashok Leyland buses, the facility would also include an electric vehicle development centre comprising a futuristic conveyor line, pilot assembly line and prototype development.

It would be a complete green facility with rooftop solar panels, LED lighting, battery-operated vehicles for in-plant movement, positive water balance and zero discharge, ALL said.

The ground-breaking ceremony for the ₹140-crore was held during March 2018 in the presence of its the then Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu. The new plant will have a state-of-the-art learning centre, an advanced service training centre and had the potential to provide job to over 5,000 employees.