Ashok Leyland supplies 100 buses to Ghana for 42 cr

Hinduja Group flagship firm Ashok Leyland today said it has supplied 100 'Falcon' buses to Ghana for $7.6 million (about Rs 42 crore).

"Ashok Leyland has supplied 100 Falcon buses to Ghana worth $7.6 million," the commercial vehicle maker said in a filing to the BSE.

The vehicles were inducted to the fleet of a transport company -- Metro Mass Transit Ltd, in which the Government of Ghana has 45% stake, it added.

The buses will ply on 360 routes throughout Ghana -- both inter and intra-city.

"Africa has been one of our key focus markets and presents some very unique opportunities for a commercial vehicle manufacturer like us," Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod K Dasari said.

The company had earlier supplied buses to Nigeria and those hold a premium status in Lagos' bus rapid system, which is the only such model in the sub-Saharan Africa, he added.

All the 100 buses supplied to Ghana are left-hand drive and were specially customised into 57-seater buses.

"Ashok Leyland also becomes the first commercial vehicle manufacturer to introduce a mechanical inline fuel injection with an Euro 3 engine and electronic destination board in Ghana," the statement said.

This is the second such major order from Ghana after the induction of 160 waste management trucks last year, it added.

Shares of Ashok Leyland were trading 1.69% up at Rs 27 apiece on BSE during morning hours.