Defence Minister and Lucknow Member of Parliament Rajnath Singh is set to inaugurate Ashok Leyland’s new electric vehicle manufacturing plant in Sarojini Nagar on Friday, marking a major addition to Uttar Pradesh’s industrial base.
According to Lucknow City BJP president Anand Dwivedi, Singh will arrive at the Lucknow airport at 11:10 am on January 9 and proceed straight to the manufacturing site to take part in the opening ceremony. He is expected to leave the venue around 1:30 pm and depart for New Delhi shortly after.
The new Ashok Leyland facility has been established on the former premises of Scooters India Ltd, breathing new life into a long-standing industrial location. The facility is designed as an integrated chassis and bus manufacturing plant, capable of producing 2,500 vehicles annually in its first phase. Capacity expansion plans are already in place, with output expected to double to 5,000 units per year in subsequent stages.
Developed in a compressed timeline, the project moved swiftly from planning to execution. The Uttar Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding with Ashok Leyland in September 2023, followed by the issuance of a Letter of Intent in January 2024. The factory was completed and readied for operations within just 14 months.
Ashok Leyland has committed an investment of approximately INR 1,000 crore to the Lucknow unit. The plant will manufacture advanced commercial vehicles across multiple powertrain platforms, including internal combustion engines, electric drivetrains, and alternative fuel technologies.
The production mix is intended to serve both domestic demand and international markets, aligning with the company’s broader strategy to address shifting mobility needs and emission norms.
Welcoming the inauguration, Uttar Pradesh’s Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta ‘Nandi’ said the new facility would strengthen the state’s position in automobile manufacturing while preparing it for emerging mobility trends.
“This plant will add depth to Uttar Pradesh’s manufacturing ecosystem and help the state move confidently toward future-ready transportation solutions,” he said.
The launch of the Ashok Leyland EV unit is expected to support employment generation, industrial revival, and the state’s push toward cleaner and more diversified vehicle manufacturing.
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Soham Bhattacharya, Automotive Sector Analyst Soham Bhattacharya is an automotive industry analyst with 5 years of experience, focusing on market conditions, technological trends, and supply chain dynamics in automotive manufacturing. He specializes in electric vehicles, autonomous driving technologies, and the latest investment strategies shaping global automotive production. His work supports businesses in making data-driven decisions regarding manufacturing plant investments. |