Mercedes Benz enters Punjab market

Ludhiana Metro project put on hold
The Ludhiana metro project has been put on hold for an indefinite time period. The reason being that the state government, in a communication to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), has desired that the cost of the project be cut down and the Metro be kept on the ground rather than underground.

A detailed report of the Ludhiana-metro project had been submitted before by the DMRC to the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB) stating all the parameters.

Commenting on this, PIDB Managing Director Sukhbir Singh Sandhu said, “We have received the DPR of the Ludhiana Metro. Now, we have written back to the DMRC that it should be overground, as there were two views in the corporation itself be it over ground or underground. It may bring down the project cost which is on the higher side at present."

Reportedly, a team from DMRC would visit the city on Oct. 30 to check the ground over the lines and weigh costing parameters before it takes a final decision on the matter.

The project was estimated to cost Rs. 10,516 crore and was to be operational by 2014.

Mercedes Benz optimistic about Punjab
Recession doesn’t seem to have affected Punjab’s penchant for luxury cars. While in April this year German luxury car manufacturer Audi opened its sales office in Ludhiana, now Merecedes Benz has opened its showroom in Jalandhar on Oct. 3 this year.

Another luxury car maker, Volkswagen, will be opening a showroom in Jalandhar in the next couple of months. BMW, too, has plans to start selling its top models from Ludhiana soon.

While inaugurating the Mercedes showroom, Wilfried Aulbur, managing director and CEO of Mercedes-Benz India said, “The city has a good base of professionals and entrepreneurs and the new dealership from Mercedes-Benz is recognition of this potential.”

Punjab is a "very vibrant" place, where many rich people stay. "Seeing their response and increasing demand, we have come up with our third dealership in the region," said Aulbur.

IAF deploys MiG 29 at Adampur
In order to strengthen the air defense capabilities, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has stationed its MiG 29 aircrafts at Adampur near the Pakistani border.

“We consider ourselves to be a strategic air power establishment of the IAF in the western sector, ever ready for operations. We are fully geared up to operate in any given time frame like any other Air Force station of the country,” said HS Arora, air commodore, Indian Air Force.

Reportedly, the first lot of six upgraded MiG 29s is expected to reach Adampur by mid-2010.

Air Commodore Arora informed that the six aircrafts are going to be upgraded in Russia while others will be upgraded in India through Russian collaboration.

This Russian company would also upgrade 60 MiG aircrafts of the Indian Airforce under an agreement with the Indian Defense Ministry.