As industrial plants boost the village's profile, locals demand priority hiring, alongside better storage facilities and water security.
Key Points
- Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover's Rs 9,000 crore plant in Ranipet signals India's push into premium vehicle manufacturing.
- The facility is expected to create over 5,000 jobs, with additional employment from nearby industrial projects boosting regional prospects.
- Local residents remain divided, with some optimistic about jobs while others highlight limited hiring of village youth.
- Footwear manufacturing investments add to industrial growth, positioning Tamil Nadu as a potential non-leather footwear hub.
- Employment, infrastructure, and resource concerns dominate election discourse in the Sholinghur constituency as parties promise development.
The 2012 film Skyfall added a personal dimension to the James Bond franchise, while retaining its signature focus on high-performance automobiles.
Among them, a Range Rover Evoque made a brief appearance in a London sequence.
In 2026, that same model has resurfaced as a local symbol in Panapakkam, a small agrarian village in the Sholinghur assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu's Ranipet district, about 85 km from Chennai, as it heads into an election cycle.
In February, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover announced the start of operations at a Rs 9,000 crore manufacturing facility in the area.
Photographs of Chief Minister M K Stalin driving a locally produced Evoque remain etched in public memory.
The plant reflects a broader push to establish full-scale premium car manufacturing in India, moving beyond assembly and export.
The landscape around Panapakkam SIPCOT is marked by expansive paddy fields, their post-harvest stubble casting a golden-brown hue under the sun.
Through openings in the plant's perimeter walls, rapid construction activity is visible across the 470-acre site.
Thousands of jobs to be created
The facility is designed for an annual capacity of 250,000 to 300,000 vehicles. Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran has said the project places Tamil Nadu alongside global JLR manufacturing hubs in the UK, Austria, China and Brazil.
Along a narrow road skirting the compound, local resident K Sankar, in his mid-50s, paused during a temple ritual.
"A lot of activity has been happening for six-eight months now. People will get jobs; it is good," said Sankar when asked whether the facility will benefit the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the assembly election.
According to plans, more than 5,000 jobs will be created at this unit.
Nearby, Hong Fu Industrial Group is developing a Rs 1,500 crore facility, expected to generate over 25,000 jobs.
The company manufactures footwear for global brands such as Nike, Adidas, Puma and Converse.
An employee said more than 300 workers are currently on site as construction nears completion, with commissioning expected by end-2026.
"The advantage with the shoe industry is that it is labour-intensive. This will be one of the units that may help Tamil Nadu become a non-leather footwear hub," said N Mohan, director of Kothari Industrial Corporation and a member of the National Footwear and Leather Development Council.
The dominating theme in conversations is...
One theme dominating conversations across the area is the expectation of jobs.
While the projects have drawn attention, not all local residents share the same level of optimism.
Revathy S, in her late 20s, said employment opportunities for locals remain limited despite land being provided for the project.
"Even degree holders from our village are not getting jobs. Whoever gets elected should ensure that we get jobs," she said.
Candidates, including A M Munirathinam of the Congress in the DMK-led alliance, K Saravanan of the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), and G Kapil of Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), are all foregrounding development and employment in their campaigns.
But another resident, Sathish V, said recruitment often draws workers from locations up to 30 kilometres away.
Jobs Hopes Rise, Concerns Persist
According to the Tata unit, however, the facility is staffed by a diverse group of technicians from across Tamil Nadu, many of whom are part of Tata Motors' Lakshya programme, an "earn while you learn" initiative aimed at enabling progression into engineering and management roles.
Farmers in the region are also seeking government-run warehouses for storing sugarcane and paddy. Vasu V, a farmer, said that since land was acquired from villagers, employment for local youth should be prioritised.
At a nearby bus stop, Bharati, a 22-year-old ITI student, expressed optimism, citing growing employment opportunities linked to the Tata unit.
"I am an ITI student, and a lot of people are getting jobs at this Tata unit. It is advantageous for us," he said, indicating this could influence electoral outcomes.
Others remain cautious. Kumaresh, 21, who works at an automotive unit in Sriperumbudur nearly 50 kilometres away, pointed to persistent unemployment and water shortages, adding that industrial expansion in SIPCOT could intensify resource pressures.
He supports the TVK and said it represents an alternative for younger voters.
His friend Sanjay, currently unemployed, echoed similar views, adding that job creation remains the primary concern.
"I am sitting at home after completing my education. We are TVK supporters. They will be good for farmers too and may create jobs," he said.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff
