Chennai: Sweden-based commercial vehicle and engine manufacturer Scania AB would begin production by next month at its ₹ 300-crore manufacturing facility situated near Bangalore, a top official said on Wednesday.

“The buses were produced in Malaysia. From August, we will start production domestically in India. It will be Metrolink coaches between 13.7 and 14.5 metre sizes and will have 100% indigenization of bus body. The chassis will be 30% indigenized..." Scania India managing director and Scania Group senior vice-president, Anders Grundstromer told reporters.

He said the company was ramping up the production at its plant near Bangalore as India was set to become the largest bus market in the world.

Grundstromer and senior company officials were present to hand over the first set of keys to city-based travel operator Parveen Travels’ managing director A. Afzal for providing service between Chennai and Kochi.

Grundstromer said the plant situated at Narasapura near Bangalore would have the capacity to produce about 1,500 buses initially.

“All the investments we made of about ₹ 300 crore was for the manufacturing plant. This year we will sell about 150 buses in India and next year it will be 450 buses...," he said.

He said the company has set a target of selling 2,500 trucks and 1,000 buses per year during the next five years. So far, Scania India had sold 35 buses, he said.

“Yes it is on track. By that time the indigenization of chassis will be doubled to 60%", he told PTI later.

“We are spreading our wings in India step by step. We are already present in Maharashtra, Kerala and Karnataka. We will be entering into Gujarat and Nagpur. Then we will go to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh", he said.

To a question, he said the present 1% of the premium bus segment would reach 5% in next five years and 10% by 2024.

The price per ticket between Chennai and Kochi would be between ₹ 1,300-1,500, he said.

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