ICAT starts operations; approves 'Ritz' for India

The International Centre of Automotive Technology has started its operations at Manesar in Haryana by granting approval to the country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki India's forthcoming model -- Ritz.

International Centre of Automotive Technology (ICAT) has cleared Ritz in a whole vehicle test approval ceremony, held recently at the test centre's premises in Manesar, thereby clearing ground for rolling out the car in the Indian market.

A division of National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRiP), ICAT is a notified testing agency and is working towards the development of automobile industry in the country.

ICAT is currently investing Rs 440 crore in expanding its facilities at an additional area of 46 acres in its Manesar centre. The new facilities would include a power-train laboratory, engine dynamometers, emission laboratory with Euro V capability, a fatigue laboratory passive safety laboratory as well as vehicle test tracks.

Earlier NATRiP, a joint venture of the Centre, a number of state governments and the country's auto industry to create a testing, validation and R&D infrastructure, had announced to invest Rs 1,718 crore for setting up of seven auto testing facilities at seven locations across India by 2011.

Apart from ICAT, Manesar, the other six locations are Chennai, Indore, Silchar, Pune, Rae Bareilly and Ahmednagar.