Shattering of glasses, denting of bumpers and marks of bullets piercing the body are no longer the sober features to moan. The Auto Expo in New Delhi displays the bullet-proof ranges of cars, exclusive ones for police personnel, defence services and politicians. The sensitive industry is equally booming in a terror-stricken country.
Chanakya Automobiles India is the only such company at the Expo and it displaces the government owned Medak Ordinance Factory. Chanakya Automobiles is certified by the Bureau of Police Research and Development for making bullet-proof vehicles for VVIPs in the country. In the same category are a Kanpur-based Shri Lakshmi Cotsyn who make indigenous models of armoured vehicles differing from Chanakya’s conventional versions.
Tata fills its slot with its Safaris in a market full of infringing new comers. But Chanakya intends to take advantage by being in the forefront. It boasts its products built with cocooned steel body and glass-resistant bullets, arrowing from 9mm pistol – NATO assault rifles. The run-flat tyres are capable to run 50kms @50km/hr speed even after receiving firing from close range.
Chanakya views two advantages over Ordinance Factory- longer delivery time (16-24 months) and product rigidity of ‘take it or leave it”, which is not compromised by the politicians on safety and comfort. As of now, Chanakya has sold 6 units and got orders for 50 numbers.
The cost factor is mystical, as transforming a Pajero or a Motero into a bullet-proof is equally hard task. For Pajero the cost would be up by Rs44.5 lakh and for an Ambassador it would be Rs22 lakhs. Chanakya employs Swedish steel, the special glass, laser rods, welding rods amd run-flat tyres all imported. Cost will be equally higher for bigger vehicles. For Ambassador the cost is lesser due to less modifications than for an SUV.
It will not be a mere bullet-proof vehicle, but it will be bullet-resistant vehicle. It can resist two simultaneous grenades in the underside and parallel sides apart from overhead airbursts. The official from Chanakya is quite pragmatic to match the sophisticated bullets from the richer terrorists.