The Hindu Business Line : Tata's new buses: A launch with style

IT is not always that Romeo and Juliet run to hide somewhere and find a lovable bus. Well that's what they got as India's biggest commercial vehicle company unveiled a range of branded buses and pulled off another first in the process - that of showcasing the staid bus on the same platform as an emotionally appealing car.

Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Motors, noted the effort and lauded the creative twist to Tuesday's show at Mumbai's Turf Club, traditionally associated with the company's stylish car launches. In all, Tata Motors unveiled 19 bus models under two brands "Globus and Starbus."

For Mr Ravi Kant, Executive Director (Commercial Vehicles Business Unit), the ceremony watched by ambassadors, Ministers and Tata channel partners from around the world, was the culmination of a project commenced by his team two years ago. According to him, there were three reasons for the Tatas rejuvenating their bus business.

First, the increasing thrust on domestic road development (Rs 1,20,000 crore investment is planned as investment in the sector). Second, for mass rapid transportation, the bus is considered a viable alternative in several countries. And third, growing urbanisation will enhance the demand for passenger transport giving vehicle sales for it a higher growth rate than for goods movement.

"Mass rapid transportation by buses is an alternative which has been tried out in Curituba in Brazil and Bogota in Colombia with great success. The capital cost is less than 20% of metro rail cost for the same traffic density. It is now increasingly being tried out in several cities in Europe and in Asia. Cities in India too are showing interest. Delhi will have several corridors for this dedicated bus system to be ready by the time of Commonwealth games in 2010 for which the order for the first lot of buses has been placed on Tata Motors.

"Therefore, we believe the bus transport system has huge potential in India, a potential which has not been fully realised. Buses account for less than 15% of commercial vehicles sold in India, compared to nearly 50% in China and 40% in Russia. Similar growth is also expected to be in several other countries.

"It is taking into account this great potential and to fulfil our rightful leadership role that we created a fully built vehicle group two years ago," he said.

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Tata's new buses: A launch with style