In a silent midnight operation in the middle of this week, authorities at Tata Motors are said to have shifted several key equipment and machinery from the Singur plant. As the Singur talks collapsed on Friday, the move is seen as a first step towards the company’s Plan B: launching Nano, the Rs one-lakh car, from its plant in Pantnagar in Uttarakhand or in Pune.

Senior police officials, officials and workers associated with the Nano plant and villagers in Singur confirmed to the Sunday Express that Tata Motors had arranged to have several of its key equipment—including automobile moulds and casts—shifted out from the ‘press shop’ of the factory at Singur.

When asked about the midnight operation, Debasish Roy, chief of communications for Tata Motors, said: “I cannot comment on this matter. Work at the Singur plant remains suspended. We had announced Nano would roll out in the October-December quarter. We will stay as close to this plan as possible.”

But an officer at the Singur plant said, “The equipment was packed off and transported at night on September 10 and 11. The moulds are specific to Nano and are not available at any other plant. So these had to be taken to our other facilities. The rest of the shops are untouched.” According to a source, two consignments—one in 12 trailers and the other in 8—left on two consecutive nights.

Police officials on duty at Singur also confirmed that some machinery and equipment had been moved out. An inspector general of state police, who didn’t want to be named, confirmed the midnight operation.

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