Maruti Suzuki’s R&D unit construction halted

The upcoming R&D facility for Maruti Suzuki which was being constructed at Rohtak has been delayed. The government of Haryana has asked Maruti Suzuki to halt the construction of the Rs. 3,500 crore project.

This facility was the first unit built directly by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan for developing and testing automobiles for India and the global market. The R&D unit will eventually be built over an area covering 600 acres and should be operational by 2015.

Government claims that Maruti Suzuki did not get the necessary approval for environmental clearance before commencing the construction process. The previous government has made a rule mandatory for companies to get the necessary approvals for environmental clearance for any facility spreading more than 20,000 sq. ft. in size.

The Delhi high court directed the government of Haryana not to levy any criminal charges against Maruti Suzuki and have asked the manufacturer to get the necessary approvals before reinitiating the construction process.

Source – Economic Times