KOLKATA: The ambitious Rs 100,000 car project of Tata Motors is running behind schedule, but Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata hopes that it would achieve top speed to make up for lost time."The project is getting delayed," Tata told reporters on the sidelines of Tata Tea's 44th annual general meeting here.But he hopes there would be no time overrun in the project - whose first car is expected to be rolled out in the second half of 2008.

"I do not want to give the feeling that the project itself is getting delayed, but we will use our capability to overcome the delay," Tata said.Asked to give a date for the roll out due to the delay, Tata said that he did not want to give a specific date."There are vested interests working and we do not want to give a date," he said.Tata also said that he would like to visit to Singur.Referring to the controversy over land acquisition for the car project in Singur, Tata said that the project would lift farmers from a life of poverty.

Those who were propagating the cause of farmers should do something for them. "This controversy is politically motivated," Tata said.Stating that West Bengal had been ignored by the industry due to historical reasons, the Tata Group chief said that Tata Motors had decided to locate the plant at Singur because the group believed that somebody would have to make a start.

"I feel West Bengal is the most industry-friendly state and has an enlightened government and a pragmatic chief minister," he said.Tata said that since this would be a showcase project of Tata Motors, which was why the company had chosen to locate it on the national highway because people would be able to see it.

He also said that the state-of-the-art cancer hospital at Rajarhat would be operational during the third quarter of 2008.