he state-of-the-art bus manufacturing facility of Tata Marcopolo Motors Limited at Dharwad (Karnataka) has begun commercial production. Tata Marcopolo Motors Limited is a 51:49 joint venture of Tata Motors and Marcopolo of Brazil. The Dharwad plant will cater to India’s growing need for world class fully built buses for intra-city and inter-city transportation with international standard comfort, quality and safety. The plant will produce a comprehensive range of buses. The range, to be marketed under the ‘Starbus’ and ‘Globus’ brands, includes 16 to 54-seater standard buses, 18 and 45-seater luxury buses, luxury coaches and low-floor city buses. The plant, spread over about 123 acres, will have a capacity to produce 30,000 units a year, to be achieved in phases. In 2009-10, the first full year of operation, production can be up to 15,000 units. The joint venture has already invested about Rs.200 crores. The plant, at full capacity, will generate over 6,500 direct jobs. It will be supported by a vendor park.