CHENNAI: As part of its efforts towards making Tamil Nadu an e-vehicle manufacturing hub, SIPCOT (Small Industries Promotion Corporation of Tamil Nadu) is planning to develop an Industrial Park at a cost of `250 crore, in Manallur and Soorapoondi villages of Gummidipoondi taluk, Tiruvallur district.
The park, spread across 691.587 acres, will cater to the production of synthetic and organic chemicals, which are used in manufacturing batteries and components of electric vehicles. It is learnt that environmental clearance has been obtained from the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change, for the development of SIPCOT at the two villages.
About 90 per cent in the industrial park is marked for manufacturing electric vehicle components and the remaining 10 per cent of the area for synthetic and chemical industries. A top SIPCOT official told Express that Guidance has approached them to set up an industrial park, as there have been a lot of queries from national and international companies which are keen on setting up their bases in the State.
The companies that have shown immediate and long-term interest include electric two-wheeler company Ampere, Okinawa, and swap-able battery and charging infrastructure company SUN Mobility. The official added that SIPCOT plans to set up the industrial park by June 2021.
“We have already prepared a masterplan. It will be executed phase-wise and we will ensure that the first phase is developed over 250 acres. Once Phase-1 is half finished, we will go in for Phase-2,” the official said.
TN to become e-vehicle manufacturing hub soon
The State is planning to construct roads for movement of heavy vehicles as the village roads are narrow. “We are in talks with the Highways Department and we will be funding for building the roads,” said the official. This comes close of the heels of the State government issuing a notification exempting evehicles from payment of Motor Vehicles Tax from November 3, 2020 to December 31, 2022, which, a top Industries Department official said will prompt more electronic car manufacturers and battery makers to set up shop in TN.
SIPCOT is in the process of establishing new industrial parks at Manapparai, Tindivanam, Manakudi, Thoothukudi (Phase-2), Nemili, Mamabakkam, and Sakkarakottai, including establishment of food parks, evehicle park, pharma park, besides other ongoing land acquisition schemes. Industrial Estates developed by SIPCOT in the vicinity of Chennai have been fully allotted and there is need for augmenting industrial spaces for attracting new industries as well as expansion of existing industries , said a spokesperson.
SIPCOT has so far developed 21 Industrial Complexes in 12 districts, and seven sector-specific Special Economic Zones (SEZs) across the State. With the guidance of Palaniswami and the proactive approach of SIPCOT, many prominent industrial units like Amway, Apollo Tyres, Ashok Leyland, Bosch, Britannia, Cognizant Technology, Daimler, DELL, Delta Electronics, Delphi TVS, Eicher Motors, Foxconn, Growth Link, Hyundai, India Yamaha, Kone Elevator, KPR Spinning Mills, Mahindra, Mando-Hella, Michelin Tyres, Nokia Siemens, Renault-Nissan, Saint Gobain, Samsung, Sanmina, and Wheels India have established their facilities in various Industrial Parks of SIPCOT, the official added.