Toyota Kirloskar Motor to invest Rs 3,300 cr to set up 3rd plant in Karnataka
Bengaluru: Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Tuesday announced plans to invest Rs 3,300 crore to set up its third plant at Bidadi in Karnataka.
The new unit, which will commence production by 2026, will have an annual capacity of 1 lakh units in two shifts.
It will come up at the company's existing facility at Bidadi, near here where it currently has two units with a combined installed production capacity of up to 3.42 lakh units annually.
The new plant, apart from producing multi-utility vehicle Innova HyCross, will be ''future ready'' to roll out models spanning across different fuel technologies, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) Executive Vice President & Country Head Vikram Gulati told PTI.
''I believe, we are as a company future-ready, both in terms of access to technology, access to well-accepted products across various powertrains as also access to the ability to bring these products to market,'' he said.
He further said in the industry, it doesn't take too much for the same line or some lines to be made ready for introducing any kind of powertrains.
''It does take a bit of doing but it's not really a huge barrier, in my opinion. So that that makes us ready and flexible in terms of any of the powertrains going forward. And I'm sure the new plant is going to be much more advanced and much more future ready,'' Gulati said when asked if the third plant will have the provision for producing new technology vehicles such as electric vehicles.
He, however, said it is too early to give any specifics.
The third plant will create 2,000 jobs, adding to the current 11,200 strong workforce across the existing two plants, he added.
The company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Karnataka government regarding the fresh investment to set up the third plant coinciding with its 25th year of operations in India.
''As a future-ready mobility company, we are certain that today's significant MoU with the Karnataka government for the new plant will positively contribute through consequent employment generation and expand adoption of advanced clean technologies,'' TKM Managing Director and CEO Masakazu Yoshimura said at the event.
He further said TKM would continue to work with the government to develop a world-class local system that promises best solutions for India by focusing in improving energy security, promoting economic growth and achieving carbon neutrality.
In a statement, Toyota CEO Asia Region Masahiko Maeda said, ''The Indian market has always been of great importance of us. We are confident that the new investments in India, we will further elevate TKM's role in our global vision for a more promising future by creating sustainable mobility solutions that enrich people's lives worldwide.'' Last year, Toyota group firms comprising TKM and Toyota Kirloskar Auto Parts had signed an MoU with Karnataka government to invest Rs 4,100 crore to enhance electrification, fast paced shift towards greener technologies and deeper cut in CO2 emissions.
So far Totoya has invested a total of Rs 16,000 crore in India on various activities.
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“Bleeding on the road, I begged for help but no one came”: Bengaluru woman recounts husband’s death
Bengaluru: A woman in Bengaluru has shared a painful account of how her husband died after they were repeatedly denied medical help and ignored by passersby during a medical emergency, NDTV reported.
The victim, 34-year-old Venkataramanan, a garage mechanic from Balaji Nagar, developed severe chest pain around 3.30 am. His wife immediately took him on a motorcycle in search of medical help.
"He complained about chest pain, and we went to the first hospital. However, the doctor was not on duty. At the second hospital, we were told he had a stroke and to go to another hospital. When we called for ambulance services, they did not respond properly. Humanity failed, but we did our bit by donating his eye." NDTV quoted his wife as saying.
According to the report, after being turned away twice, the couple met with an accident on the road. CCTV footage later showed the woman, covered in blood, pleading with folded hands as vehicles passed by, but no one stopped to help.
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The wait ended after several minutes when a cab driver stopped and rushed Venkataramanan to a nearby hospital. Doctors there declared him dead on arrival.
As per the report, the family decided to donate Venkataramanan’s eyes, giving sight to others even in death.
Venkataraman's mother, who had lost her last surviving child, had no words to express herself: "I have no words. I do not know what to say. My son is gone."
"The government should understand a health emergency. My daughter is left with two children. Who will look after them?" asked his mother-in-law. His wife, mother, and two children, a five-year-old son and an 18-month-old daughter now survive Venkataramanan.
The incident has once again raised serious questions about emergency healthcare access, ambulance response, and public apathy in the city.
