Times of India
New Delhi, Jan 10: All roads will lead to Hall 11 of Pragati Maidan on Thursday. But that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone can stroll in, take a look at the Rs 1 lakh car, touch it and maybe go for a spin. To put it politely, don't even think about it. For the people's car is being treated like a VVIP, with Z-plus security keeping a fierce watch on it.
If that doesn't deter you, the company has employed the services of bouncers and bodyguards, including the formidable Shamser Singh Pehelwan, who looks quite capable of carrying the car all by himself from Pune to Delhi if need be. As he assured us, in chaste Haryanvi, he won't blink before removing troublemakers from the scene, should there be one.
While stories of the car being brought to New Delhi in four pieces and then being assembled in the pavilion have been doing the rounds, a Tata Motors source revealed that the cars would actually be transported in a high security container only on Wednesday night, with guards riding shotgun. A team of authorized personnel, including Tata Motors officials, will spend the whole night at the pavilion. To satisfy the curiosity of critics, a cross-section of the car displaying the components will also be displayed.
Sources close to the company say that a crowd of about 1,500, including media persons and guests are expected at the unveiling of the car. Kamal Nath, Union minister of commerce & industry, Dr Sabyasachi Sen, industry secretary of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation and MB Rao, managing director (WBIDC) will be among those present.
But the reactions to watch will be those of the heads of all automobile giants present in India, many of whom had scoffed at the idea of a Rs 1 lakh car. Tata Motors has made sure the invitation to witness this ‘miracle' reached its contemporaries. About 250 international journalists are also expected to relay the event across the world.
Even on Wednesday, Hall 11, which houses Tata Motors' products at the 9th Auto Expo, was a packed house as the company lifted the covers off its spanking new Indica and the Sumo Grande. Wednesday's program, which displayed the shortened version of the Indigo and the Indica DICOR, included the routine song and dance schedule with trapeze artists and violin players and the latest Bollywood number - Dard-e-Disco. That only brought in more crowds.
The 5,200 square meter stall, the largest in the entire exhibit, is supposed to seat 500, but was easily teeming beyond capacity. The hype surrounding the car has forced the company to keep a tight lid on any information about it.
The last few weeks have seen a number of emails speculating on the appearance, specifications and even the name of the car. But if, like Ratan Tata, you have been waiting for the last five years, a few more hours is not too much to ask for.