Maruti Suzuki to stay put, set up third plant at Manesar

Maruti Suzuki is going full steam ahead with plans for a third plant at Manesar despite all the provocations by vested interests among its workers, the company's managing director Shinzo Nakanishi said.

Nakanishi also made it clear that its plant in Gujarat is part of the company's expansion plans and is aimed mainly at feeding its overseas markets.

"Gujarat (facility) is (part of) expansion of the Indian operations and not an alternative," reports quoted Nakanishi as saying.

In an interview with The Economic Times on Friday, Nakanishi also said Manesar is an ideal location, but for the chaos there and once the air is cleared Maruti would go full steam ahead with its expansion plans.

Maruti Suzuki, India's biggest carmaker, was forced to stop production at its plant at Manesar, Haryana, on Wednesday, after workers at the factory turned violent and attacked managers, resulting in the death of an HR executive and destruction of company property.

Police have later arrested over 90 workers who took part in violence and arson at the factory. The company will also go ahead with punitive action against those workers who have resorted to violence at the factory (See: 100 strikers at Maruti's plant arrested for violence).