AHMEDABAD: So, it looks like Gujarat has won the race for the Nano. Tata group chairman Ratan Tata and Tata Motors CMD Ravi Kant are expected to announce the relocation of the Nano mother plant from Singur to Gujarat on Tuesday, the day Narendra Modi completes seven years as chief minister.

DNA was the first to report that Tata Motors was considering moving the main factory making the Rs 1 lakh car to Gujarat. The entire government machinery is working to ensure a smooth drive for the Tatas.

The state government has already issued a notification to purchase 50.88 acres of prime land adjacent to the proposed site in Chharodi near Ahmedabad, at nearly double the market price, from local farmers. This land is being acquired for the approach roads and other civil works.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the land survey for the proposed Nano plant site to be located at the 2,200 acres Northcote farm has been done and all the paper work to transfer possession from the agricultural university to the state government has been readied.

On Monday, officials negotiated with six land holders of Chharodi village for six hours to buy their land for about Rs 22.65 crore at the rate of Rs 1,100 per sq metre, nearly double the market rate of Rs 600 per sq metre.

The notification to acquire the land was issued as recently as October 4. It makes no mention of the Nano project. The land, at least in the records, is being acquired by Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation for a new industrial park.

Officials at the district collectorate and the Sachivalaya in Gandhinagar are tight-lipped about the developments.

Most of the ministers and bureaucrats have remained elusive for the past three days. The details of the project were not discussed with the farmers selling the land either.

Revubha Vaghela, an industrialist and land owner, who sold his land to government, told DNA, "I sacrificed my 30 acre land for the development of Gujarat and undertook an agreement with the government. I tried to know the purpose of acquiring land but the officials have only told me, please have faith in us."

The notification to acquire the land, signed by under secretary KD Upadhyay, says, "It appears to the Government of Gujarat that land specified in the schedules hereto are likely to be needed for public purpose i.e. To construct the approach road to the proposed industrial estate developed by GIDC at village North Kotarpur (Northcotepur), Taluka-Sanand, district-Ahmedabad."

"We have no any idea about the development, you better ask GIDC officials," said Harit Shukla, collector, Ahmedabad. On the day-long land acquisition process and the fact that the state government was offering double the market price, Shukla said.

"it is the preparatory process for the GIDC and it cant be said that the Tatas are coming to the state, they are looking at other states also."