Date:14/12/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/12/14/stories/2005121416840500.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Volkswagen team to skip State

Special Correspondent

Plans to visit Chennai, Bangalore

The team originally planned to fly to Vizag from Chennai
Company representatives say unavailability of `convenient flights' forced them to skip Vizag

The team is likely to visit the State on January 10 and 11

HYDERABAD: The German auto major Volkswagen has chosen to skip Andhra Pradesh, at least for now, in the latest itinerary of its official team in India.

According to a communication received by the State Government, the five-member team, headed by Peter Walter, company's Corporate Executive, and Eckharp Thyele, General Manager, will visit Chennai on Wednesday and later go to Bangalore. The team had originally proposed to fly from Chennai to Visakhapatnam for a second inspection of the site offered by the State Government before proceeding to Bangalore. But company representatives explained to the Government that they were skipping Andhra Pradesh now because of unavailability of convenient flights from Chennai to Visakhapatnam.

However, the company stated in a message that its team would visit Andhra Pradesh on January 10 and 11. Lakshmi Parthasarathy, Principal Secretary, Industries, said here on Tuesday that the Government was not perturbed by the team skipping Andhra Pradesh. "Nor have we lost hopes on the project coming to the State," he said.

"We have several suitable sites all over the State. The offer is not restricted to Visakhapatnam, Tada, Hyderabad, Ongole or Hindupur. We will allot land wherever the company wants."