While Vijay Mallya scouts for Formula 1 racing circuits around Delhi, in far flung Pithampur in Madhya Pradesh’s Dhar district, the Indian Government is creating the world’s second largest vehicle proving grounds that would offer as a ‘side benefit’ state-of-the art high-speed car racing tracks.
At 14.5 km length, the high speed test tracks to be created at Pithampur-30 kms off Indore near NH3 and NH 159- will be the longest in the world. USA comes a close second with 13.5 km long high speed testing tracks.
“Across the world it is the norm to rent out high speed vehicles testing tracks for car racing as well. The same will be done at the Pithampur centre as the infrastructure when ready is quite suitable for these events. Besides, F1 there are a series of other events popular in Europe that can be held on high-speed tracks. However, this is just an off spin of the larger plan to create the country’s first major proving ground for vehicles testing- the second largest in the world at 4,131 acres, “ says a senior official from the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) that is implementing the project.
Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises has constituted the NATRIP Implementation Society (NATIS), an autonomous body, for the execution of these projects
For starters, NATRIP’s future car racing site would be hosting India’s first BAJA contest from December 21-23 this year. BAJA SAE India comprises competitions that simulate real-world engineering challenges. Students as a team are asked to design, build, test, promote and race an off road vehicle that would survive the severe punishment of the rough terrain. SAE India is a professional engineering society. NATRIP would also build the track for static, dynamic and endurance events.
The proving grounds off Indore when ready will offer world-class vehicle testing services for all categories of vehicles from 2/3 wheelers to commercial vehicles. “32 different kinds of tests will be conducted on vehicles to test their performance as against external factors like wind, rain, noise, fog, weight and so on. The Rs 470 crore facility will be ready by October 2010. The land acquisition process for the site is already on and the state government will soon give us a letter of allotment,” the official added.
An investment of Rs 367 crores is envisaged to build test tracks of different types at various NATRIP centers, including a high speed test track at Pithampur, Dhar and the department has already invited global Expressions of Interest (EoI) for construction.
The Pithampur/Indore proving grounds is part of NATRIP’S larger mandate to create a state of the art testing, validation and R&D infrastructure in the country and facilitate seamless integration of Indian Automotive industry with the world as also to position the country prominently on the global automotive map. At an investment of Rs 17.18 billion, seven centers of excellence would be set up across the country with three automotive testing centres at Manesar, Chennai, Pune and Ahmednagar.
As part of the plan, Rae Bareilly would get the country’s first road accident data analysis facility and a comprehensive testing and validation facility for agricultural tractors, trailers, construction equipment and various other off-road vehicles.
Two specialised driving training centres would be set up at Silchar in north east for specialised hill area driving and Rae Bareilly to facilitate specialised vehicles and cargo.