New-look Chennai town to welcome Ford on its India comeback trail

The Chennai unit of Ford, spread across an area of 350 acres, had an annual production capacity of around 200,000 vehicles and 340,000 engines

Henry Ford Road in Maraimalai Nagar, located about 50 kilometres from Chennai, has remained quiet for the past two years since the Ford India plant ceased operations in 2022. However, on Saturday, an outsider could sense a feeling of rejuvenation in the air following the company’s announcement of its reopening plans.

While Ford remains the same company, Maraimalai Nagar has changed over the past two years.

Once a less-developed area on the outskirts of Chennai, it now features eight-lane roads, hotels, and cafés where there were previously only a few tea stalls. Major retail chains like Pantaloons and Trends,