During the course of his conversation with reporters at the Secretariat on Saturday, West Bengal Chief Secretary Ashok Mohan Chakraborti confirmed that the State government had initiated formal talks with the Tatas about getting back the Singur land, taken by the Tata group for locating its Nano small car project.

The 997-acre land, which the government had acquired on behalf of the Tatas and leased out to Tata Motors for setting up Nano factory, has been left unused by Tata. Since the land has not been put to use as per the terms of the agreement, the government is asking the company to return it.

Chakraborti said: “We would like to have the land back since the purpose for which the land was given (setting up of the industrial project) has not been fulfilled.”

The State government has reportedly approached the railways for setting up a coach factory on the Singur land. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee has gone public about the State government’s request, and has asked it to first re-acquire the land from the Tatas.

Meanwhile, Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Motors’ group, had earlier expressed his readiness to return the land if the group was adequately compensated. Ratan Tata had also reiterated that in case the land could be utilized for an alternative project, the Tatas would return it back to the government.