Deccan Auto to commission integrated bus-making unit.

Deccan Auto Ltd is all set to commission its integrated bus-manufacturing unit at Kodakachani in Medak district of Telangana.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao will inaugurate the plant on Saturday.

The unit, set up with an investment of Rs. 300 crore, has a capacity to manufacture 3,000 units a year. The facility will serve both domestic and export markets in Asia and Africa where the group has a big presence in the cement and steel industry, MSRV Prasad, Chairman of Deccan Auto Ltd, said.

Deccan Auto has a technical association with Zhongtong of China, a Government held company exporting to more than 30 countries worldwide.

Last year, MSRV Prasad had acquired majority stake in Corona Bus Manufacturing, based in Pune. Corona buses will also be manufactured in the Hyderabad Deccan plant. Corona has an order book of more than 300 buses and aims to add another 1,000 buses order this year, M Balaji Rao, Director of Corona, told BusinessLine.

The plant has modern testing facilities and paint booth that can handle more than 3,000 buses annually.

Deccan Auto and Corona Buses plan to introduce rear engine buses from 8m (for schools) to 18 m length. The Corona buses will focus on the city bus segment and sleeper coaches. The Deccan buses are built on the integral coach design similar to Volvo buses.

The plant is accredited by the Automotive Research Association of India and confirms to the New Bus Code. The Corona Buses are based on monocoque design and powered with Cummins Engines and Allison gearbox, Balaji said.

MSPV Prasad is an NRI based in Ghana and has interests in cement, steel and IT and has diversified into automotive segment, Balaji said.

HBL