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Seven specialised automotive testing facilities being developed across India under the central government’s National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP) are to be unified under the Automotive Regulatory Board, an umbrella body, Union Minister for Heavy Industries Anant Geete has said.
These centres are located in Pune, Ahmednagar, Manesar, Chennai, Indore, Silchar and Rae Barelli, with work on only the last not yet started.
“As all these facilities hold the brief of assisting the government in the formation of regulatory norms in the areas of safety, emission and fuels the government intends to unify them under an umbrella body,” Geete said, adding that the Board will come into existence soon after all the seven facilities are complete and will work under the Ministry of Heavy Industries.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the homologation and technology centre of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) at Chakan today. A total of 130 people will work at the new facility. Established under NATRiP, the centre has been set-up with an investment of Rs 370 crore and will offer homologation services to automobile manufacturers for domestic and export markets.
The inauguration was part of the year-long golden jubilee celebrations of ARAI, kick-started on Sunday by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The setting up the seven specialised testing facilities under NATRiP were expected to cost Rs 1,800 crore, but as these could not be completed on time, the cost has escalated to Rs 3,800 crore. “These will be complete in the next two years according to the revised time line for them,” Geete said.
Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Director, ARAI, said, “The institute will retain its identity even after such a Board comes into existence and will continue its research and development as well as testing services.”
ARAI’s role in advising the government in the formation of regulatory norms for the automotives sector will move to the board, she added.
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