Tata Motors suspends work at Singur; may shift `Nano' out of West Bengal

Ratan TataMumbai: Amidst continuing protests and intimidation of employees and the management Tata Motors today decided to suspend work on the rollout of its small car `Nano' at Singur and shift the project to some location outside West Bengal.

A decision would, however, be taken only after chairman Ratan Tata returns from Singapore.

Tata Motors said it has been constrained to suspend the construction and commissioning work at the Nano Plant at Singur in view of the continued confrontation and agitation at the site. The decision was taken in order to ensure the safety of its employees and contract labour, who have continued to be violently obstructed from reporting to work, CNBC TV18 quoted company sources as saying.

The company said it had assessed the prevailing situation in Singur, after five continuous days of cancellation of work, and had found no change in the volatile situation around the plant.

The project's auto ancillary partners, who had commenced work at their respective plants in Singur, were also constrained to suspend work in line with Tata Motors' decision.

''We are preparing a detailed plan to relocate Nano plant and machinery'', a spokesperson of Tata Motors said, adding, ''We are also evaluating alternate options to manufacture Nano.''