Even the most optimistic reader may raise an eyebrow at Dunlop India’s claim of being near to reopening its Sahaganj factory within the coming week.

This is, after all, the plant inspected by West Bengal’s labor minister Purnendu Bose last July, a visit that prompted him to comment that, "for more than 10 months, the boiler of the factory remains non-functional. Workers are sitting idle. The bricks of the plant quarters are being stolen away, the machineries are being smuggled out."

Nevertheless, on April 3, the company told the Calcutta High Court of its reopening plans in order to stave off the court-appointed provisional liquidator.

"The company officials met key ministers and discussed the ways of reopening the plant. We are exploring all avenues and within a week we hope to reopen our Sahaganj unit," Dunlop India counsel Kalyan Banerjee told the court.

The provisional liquidator is scheduled to visit the factory today, accompanied by both Dunlop India representatives and those from Madura Coats, who is seeking to recover money from the company. (Tyres & Accessories)