Vijayawada: The inauguration of Ashok Leyland‘s bus manufacturing facility is a testament that Andhra Pradesh is ready to do business driven by innovation, IT and HRD minister Nara Lokesh said on Wednesday after inaugurating the BS-VI bus manufacturing plant where electric bus body building will also be done. Ashok Leyland, the world’s fifth largest bus manufacturer, will produce 2,400 buses a year in phase one, and it will be scaled up to 4,800 buses subsequently.
Though the setting up of the plant was proposed during the previous TDP regime and works also began, the project hit multiple roadblocks, including Covid-19 and a change of policy following the regime change in 2019. However, after the NDA govt came to power in 2024, the project gained traction, thanks to the efforts of Lokesh, who convinced Hinduja Group to return to Andhra Pradesh.
During his Yuvagalam padayatra, Lokesh made a promise that he would bring back Ashok Leyland if voted to power. He took up the issue with Ashok P Hinduja, chairman of Ashok Leyland, offering all support from the govt with the only condition to create jobs. Lokesh said the state govt will create an escrow account for disbursement of incentives automatically without having to go to anyone.
“The industry went through a lot of turmoil between 2019 and 2024, with leaders like Amararaja, Ashok Leyland, and Lulu Group going back and deciding to revisit their investments in the state. However, people of the state said it loud and clear what they want by giving an unprecedented mandate to the NDA. Creating jobs is not just about economic activity. For us, it is about liberation, it is about pulling families out of poverty,” said Lokesh.
Commending the contributions of Ashok Leyland towards nation building, Lokesh said even the CSR activities of the company brought a sea of change to thousands of people across the country. He assured the company management of all support and requested them to make AP their first port for any future investments.
Lokesh further said that AP is going to witness some big-ticket investments in renewable energy. “The world’s largest chemical park is going to come up in AP soon. Today we are not just competing with other states, but also stealing projects. We want to send a clear message that AP means business, and we assure that the investments here will become most successful,” he asserted.
ON THE FAST LANE
Bus manufacturing plant starts production at Mallavalli near Vijayawada
Electric bus body building will also be done at the plant
Double-decker buses and low-floor buses with advanced features will be manufactured at the plant
Ashok Leyland has already received orders, with its capacity till fully booked till Oct
600 jobs to be created in first phase, 1,200 more people will be hired in second phase
Plant set up on 75 acres
Though the setting up of the plant was proposed during the previous TDP regime and works also began, the project hit multiple roadblocks, including Covid-19 and a change of policy following the regime change in 2019. However, after the NDA govt came to power in 2024, the project gained traction, thanks to the efforts of Lokesh, who convinced Hinduja Group to return to Andhra Pradesh.
During his Yuvagalam padayatra, Lokesh made a promise that he would bring back Ashok Leyland if voted to power. He took up the issue with Ashok P Hinduja, chairman of Ashok Leyland, offering all support from the govt with the only condition to create jobs. Lokesh said the state govt will create an escrow account for disbursement of incentives automatically without having to go to anyone.
“The industry went through a lot of turmoil between 2019 and 2024, with leaders like Amararaja, Ashok Leyland, and Lulu Group going back and deciding to revisit their investments in the state. However, people of the state said it loud and clear what they want by giving an unprecedented mandate to the NDA. Creating jobs is not just about economic activity. For us, it is about liberation, it is about pulling families out of poverty,” said Lokesh.
Commending the contributions of Ashok Leyland towards nation building, Lokesh said even the CSR activities of the company brought a sea of change to thousands of people across the country. He assured the company management of all support and requested them to make AP their first port for any future investments.
Lokesh further said that AP is going to witness some big-ticket investments in renewable energy. “The world’s largest chemical park is going to come up in AP soon. Today we are not just competing with other states, but also stealing projects. We want to send a clear message that AP means business, and we assure that the investments here will become most successful,” he asserted.
ON THE FAST LANE
Bus manufacturing plant starts production at Mallavalli near Vijayawada
Electric bus body building will also be done at the plant
Double-decker buses and low-floor buses with advanced features will be manufactured at the plant
Ashok Leyland has already received orders, with its capacity till fully booked till Oct
600 jobs to be created in first phase, 1,200 more people will be hired in second phase
Plant set up on 75 acres
