Foundation laid for New Campus of International Centre for Automotive Technology

INVC,,
Delhi,,
Vilasrao Deshmukh, Hon’ble Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises today laid the Foundation Stone for new campus of International Centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT) at Manesar, Haryana under the ongoing National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) of Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises. Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Haryana graced the occasion as Chief Guest. Shri Arun Yadav, Hon’ble Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Secretary Department of Heavy Industry Shri B S Meena and other senior officials were also present on the occasion.

The new International centre for Automotive Technology (iCAT) at Manesar II Campus, with an investment of Rs 500 crores, will provide state of the art testing, validation and R & D facilities to the automotive industry in the northern hub. The tracks for homologation and testing laboratories in new technology areas of Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH), EMC and Passive Safety will be a boon for both automotive OEMs as well as component manufacturers. iCAT is also being developed as a “Centre of Excellence” for component development and NVH.

The Union Minister for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Shri Vilasrao Deshmukh expressed his satisfaction at the progress of iCAT project and other initiatives under NATRiP and acknowledged the contribution of the state government of Haryana for making adequate land available. Shri Deshmukh said that in doing so an exemplary feat of good Centre – State relations has been established. “Today we are taking another great step in bringing India closer to the cherished dream of becoming the hub of small car manufacturing in the world and as a leading global auto component manufacturer”, the Minister stated. The Minister also expressed satisfaction at the fact that Haryana was home to India’s largest 2-wheeler and 4-wheeler manufacturers and the largest automobile component industry. In fact, the Hon’ble Chief Minister Shri Bhupinder Singh Hooda mentioned that in terms of total investments, the pace of growth had exceeded that of Maharashtra and he hoped that this newly laid Foundation Stone would give rise to a centre which would test the best qualities in automobiles.

Hon’ble Minister of State for Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises, Shri Arun Yadav expressed his happiness that this project was now on its way to complete realization as work would commence shortly and the facilities would be ready within a year. The facility would be very good for the Automotive industry in India as it would help them grow according to the Automotive Mission Plan and also benchmark Indian manufacturing vis-à-vis global competencies, Shri Yadav added.

The new facilities at the Manesar II campus would include a power-train laboratory, engine dynamometers, emission laboratory with Euro V capability, a fatigue laboratory, passive safety laboratory, and vehicle test tracks. iCAT is now fully operational with complete homologations handled for many domestic OEs as well as component manufacturers.

The Automotive Mission Plan (AMP) was launched by the Prime Minister in 2006. NATRiP is the key instrument in achieving targets in the AMP. Currently National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) is on fast-track to set up five green field centres at Manesar, Chennai, Indore, Silchar, Rae Bareilly and upgradation of two existing centres at ARAI Pune and VRDE Ahmednagar.