Mandya: The proposal to establish a major industrial and research facility in Mandya district gained fresh momentum following a visit by a high-level team of Union govt officials to identify a suitable site on Monday.The development is viewed as a significant step towards boosting industrial growth in the region amid the ongoing political debate between the JD(S) and Congress over development initiatives in the district.Acting on the initiative of Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, who represents the Mandya Lok Sabha segment, a delegation of more than 10 senior officials visited Mandya to assess the feasibility of setting up a unit of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI). The team conducted a detailed inspection of potential land parcels located near Basaralu and Muddanaghatta in Mandya taluk, which is nearly 25km from Mandya city.Following the field inspection, the visiting officials held a review meeting at the DC’s office with district authorities to discuss infrastructure requirements and other logistical aspects of the project. Mandya DC Kumara said the team expressed a positive preliminary opinion about the identified sites during the discussions.According to officials, around 105 acres near Basaralu are identified for the proposed facility. However, the project will move forward only after a series of technical evaluations. The Union govt team is expected to examine key parameters such as soil stability, availability of uninterrupted electricity supply, and adequate water resources before making a final recommendation.The DC said the officials requested detailed documentation from the district administration regarding the availability of these essential utilities. Once the required reports are submitted and verified, further steps towards establishing the ARAI unit will be initiated.
