Udaipur: In an effort to understand the challenges faced by India's bus body manufacturing industry, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi visited a bus body manufacturing unit in Ajmer during his recent tour of Rajasthan. The visit, which has now come to light, saw the Congress leader spend nearly an hour at the factory, closely observing the entire bus manufacturing process, interacting with workers and artisans, and listening to the concerns of industry representatives.

During the visit, representatives of the All Rajasthan Bus and Truck Body Builders Association, including Bhavesh Suthar and Association President Sundarlal Suthar, presented the key challenges confronting the industry. They highlighted the impact of recent policy changes on small and medium-sized manufacturers and discussed issues affecting the livelihoods of lakhs of people associated with the sector.

The association emphasized that while maintaining vehicle safety standards is essential, equal importance should also be given to protecting and promoting the traditional bus body manufacturing industry, which has played a significant role in strengthening India's transport sector for decades.

Rahul Gandhi also interacted directly with factory workers to understand their experiences and day-to-day challenges. He assured them that the industry's concerns and demands would be strongly raised before the Central Government and that every possible effort would be made to safeguard the interests of this employment-intensive sector.

Industry representatives described the visit as historic, stating that it is rare for a national leader to visit a manufacturing unit, observe the production process firsthand, and engage directly with both workers and entrepreneurs. They expressed hope that the visit would pave the way for industry-friendly policies and provide renewed support to India's bus body manufacturing sector, which generates employment for a large number of skilled workers across the country.