CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government would establish a state-of-the-art State Institute of Automotive and Driving Skills (SIADS) in the state as a joint venture between TATA Motors and the Transport Department Punjab.

A spokesman of Punjab Government Friday said that this institute would be set up at village Mahuana District Mukatsar at a cost of Rs. 13 crore approximately.

The institute would come up on an area of nearly 14 acres which would be provided by the Punjab Government. It would be run by a registered society which would have equal representatives from TATA Motors and the State Government.

He added that a high level team of TATA Motors Friday held discussions with senior officers of the Punjab Transport Department to give final touches for operationalising the institute.

The TATA Motors team, which was headed by A.S. Puri, Gen. Manager, gave a detailed presentation for the set up of the Institute, its by laws and also the proposed syllabus and funding pattern. Besides this discussions were also held on business plan of the institute, course contents for various courses and constitution of the society.

The Transport department was headed by D.S.Jaspal, Principal Secretary Transport-cum-Chairman PEPSU Road Transport Corporation, Manvesh Singh Sidhu, MD, PRTC, Patiala, R.S. Bal, GM, PRTC and other officers of the department.