Rudrapur readies for Nano launch

A five-star hotel, malls and branded showrooms. The face of Rudrapur, a small township in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand, has undergone a drastic change due to the Pantnagar Industrial Estate.

With hundreds of new industries setting shop at Pantnagar, just a stone's throw away, the economic impact is quite discernible in Rudrapur, the district headquarters of Uttarakhand's Udham Singh Nagar district. And now that Tata Motors is said to be gearing up to launch the first Nano from Pantnagar, there is fresh excitement in the area. The business community here is ready to give a red carpet welcome to Nano.

Rudrapur used to be known as a small town inhabited by rich farmers from the Terai region. Industrial and infrastructure development only occurred when Narayan Dutt Tiwari became the chief minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh. With the Congress losing its sheen in Uttar Pradesh, Rudrapur also went into political hibernation.

But for the people of Rudrapur, it was good news again when Tiwari became the first elected chief minister of Uttarakhand. His election raised hopes for fresh development.

When Uttarakhand was awarded the Central Industrial Package in 2003, the Tiwari government lost no time in declaring Pantnagar as Uttarakhand's first industrial estate. In the first 2-3 years after the announcement, the people of Rudrapur earned lot of money as more industries set up base in Pantnagar.

"Industries in Pantnagar have brought a big change in Rudrapur where a lot of activities can now be seen everywhere," said Sardar Balwant Singh, the owner of 'Fashion' shop in the main market.

Omaxe Ltd, a Delhi-based construction company, is setting up a township at Pantnagar-Rudrapur industrial area with an investment of Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion). The company has purchased 46 acres of land in the area to construct nearly 2,200 residential flats as part of the 'Omaxe Riviera' township.

On completion, the company would provide 60 per cent of the flats for the managers and staff of the corporate houses setting up shops at the Pantnagar Industrial Estate. The companies that have invested here include Dabur, Britannia, Bajaj Auto and Tata Motors.

A five-star hotel under the brand name of Raddison Hotel Metropolis Rudrapur is also coming up. New branded showrooms like Levi's, Reebok, Monte Carlo and many more have also come up.