Jamshedpur, April 8: For Tatas, the Nano is an unfailing opportunity to harness the vast market potential. But those aspiring to own the Rs 1-lakh car would have to play a game of chance.

With the demand for the Rs-1 lakh Nano — set to hit the roads in eastern India by October — skyrocketing, Tata Motors is considering selling the car through a system of draw.

Sources in Tata Motors said after a recent survey, the company concluded that it would be difficult for them to implement the first-come-first-serve policy. Because of the huge demand, the booking list could be manipulated, they fear.

“There is no way out other than to resort to a lottery system for dealing with the demand. A series of surveys have been carried out by the marketing analysts to implement the lottery system,” said a senior official of the marketing division of Tata Motors.

The Nano is expected to be on sale sometime during Durga Puja. Bookings for the Nano are expected to start from May and the delivery, through draws, by October.

The senior official of Tata Motors said the company has set a target of 3 lakh cars by the end of the fiscal. Of this, a sizeable number would be exported. On condition of anonymity, he said the cars would be sold against bookings in the domestic market. But there would be limited numbers in the showrooms.

“As of now, each Nano dealer would be given 30 to 50 cars, which is too low in view of the staggering demand for the Rs 1-lakh car,” he said.

The car would be first launched in the eastern part of the country. “The company has decided to launch the car in Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Bengal,” said the official.

In Jamshedpur, ASL Motors is most likely to be the authorised dealer for the Nano. The management of ASL Motors has started modifying their showroom on the Adityapur-Kandra Road to house the car that has captured the imagination of thousands.

“Though several dealers in car segments as well as commercial vehicle segments are approaching us for dealership of the Nano, it is certain that ASL Motors is going to be appointed the authorised dealer,” said the official.

ASL Motors also has the dealership for the Indica.

The official also hinted that a new showroom of Nano might come up at a prime location in Jamshedpur. “A decision in this regard is expected to be taken at a marketing meeting slated to be held later this month,” he added.