Hero Honda keen to set up facility in Himachal

Shimla, Aug 19 (IANS) Hero Honda, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, is keen to set up a manufacturing unit in Himachal Pradesh, a minister said here Thursday.

“Hero Honda has shown interest in setting up its manufacturing unit with an outlay of Rs.2,200 crore,” Industries Minister Kishan Kapoor said in a written reply in the assembly.

He said a team of officials of the company had visited the state in June this year to finalise the land for the facility.

“We are awaiting formal investment proposal for the company,” he added.

Later talking to IANS, Kapoor said the company officials had identified 1,500 bighas (one bigha is 0.4 hectare) near Nalagarh town in Solan district.

“It is private land and the company on its own has identified it,” the minister said.

The company would also set up its auxiliary units along with the main unit, he added.

This will be the company’s fourth unit in the country. It has two units in Gurgaon, Haryana, and another in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

Industry sources said the company is keen to set up its fourth unit in Himachal Pradesh as it is located close to its Haridwar facility. Moreover, the company could enjoy several benefits like cheaper and sufficient electricity.

Hero Honda is a joint venture between the Hero Group of India and Honda of Japan.