Ashok Leyland to deliver 400 minibuses to Senegal from Dakar plant

Hinduja flagship firm Ashok Leyland Thursday said it has bagged an order from Senegal, an African nation, to supply 400 minibuses worth 10.06 million euros (about Rs 80 crore). This order comes from Senbus Industries, a company assembling urban buses in Dakar, the Senegalese Capital, Ashok Leyland said in a statement.

"Ashok Leyland has signed a contract for supplying 400 units of Ashok Leyland Eagle 916 minibuses valuing 10.06 million euros. This order comes after the successful operation of 475 buses to Senegal's Dakar Dem Dikk," it said. Dakar will start receiving buses towards the end of June this year.

This project will provide mobility solutions to the country by expanding the reach and covering the remote areas through AFTU, a leading private bus association of operator groups that run buses extensively across Senegal. "This order will be a starting phase to connect rural remote areas of Senegal to urban cities and to promote sustainable mobility," Ashok Leyland Vice President (Project 81 Defence Sales, International Operations) Arijit Dutta Chowdhury said.

This will further empower the private transport sector in Senegal under AFTU, he added. As part of the order agreement, Ashok Leyland will supply Senbus Industries with semi knocked down buses and collaborate on assembling them locally in Senegal. The Eagle 916 buses are Euro III emission norms compliant and have undergone extensive road product trials with various customers in Africa, Ashok Leyland said.

(With inputs from agencies.)