Auto Expo: 50 global launches, but visitors to be restricted

As many as 50 global brands will showcase products at the 11th Auto Expo next month, although organisers have decided to restrict the number of daily visitors which could cost the show its tag of the world's second largest auto show in terms of footfalls.

In all, there will be 50 new launches across all vehicle segments during the expo that will be opened to the public during January 7-11.

"There will be 50 major global brands that will showcase their products and this will be the largest ever in the history of the Auto Expo," Auto Expo 2012 steering committee chairman Rajive Kaul told reporters in New Delhi.

The highlights will include the unveiling of 24 cars by domestic companies and 8 by global players, eight two-wheelers by homegrown firms. In all, 50 new automobiles will be made public during the expo.

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Kaul said, based on feedback from the previous expo, this time around the number of visitors per day will be restricted to make the overall experience more convenient.

"On a given day of the Expo, a total of only 1 lakh (100,000) people will be inside the Pragati Maidan, of which 70,000 will be general public," Kaul said.

Asked if the restrictions on the entry of people will cost the expo of its tag of the world's second largest auto show in terms of visitors, he said: "Yes we may...but we have to make it more convenient for all those who are coming to see the show and make it less chaotic, unlike the previous one."

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With over 2 million visitors in the 2010 Auto Expo, the organisers had claimed that India's auto show was the second largest after Shanghai Auto Show.

Kaul also said that this time the tickets can be also booked online through the bookmyshow.com. Tickets are priced at Rs 150 for general public and Rs 500 for business visitors per entry.

Commenting on the area for the show, he said due to the limitations at Pragati Maidan, the latest edition will be smaller than the previous one in 2010.

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"The exhibition will be spread across 115,000 square metres with 16 permanent halls. The auto components and original equipment manufacturers will have separate sections this time," Kaul said.

The 2010 edition of the expo had an exhibition area of 125,000 square metres.

There will be 1,500 participants from 24 countries, including the United States, China, Thailand and Turkey.

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The 11th Auto Expo will also see the Netherlands-based commercial vehicles maker Paccar, the United Kingdom's motorcycle brand Triump and the United States' off-road vehicles and bike maker Polaris Industries showcasing their products for the first time in India.

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) president S Sandhiliya said the Indian automotive industry is perhaps at its peak today and lot of global players are eyeing the market here.

"India is one of the few markets in the world which is growing...The world is looking at India to drive the future global growth in auto sector... (but) due to paucity of space we had to turn down applications for participation at the expo," he said.