UP, WB not slowing down expansion: Rel Retail

Gunender Kapoor, president and chief executive (foods business), Reliance Retail, today said the expansion plan of the company has not been affected by problems in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal although operations in the two states have been put on hold.

"It (what happened in UP) has not affected our overall plans. We have opened more than 400 stores in the last one year, and expansion is going as per plans," Kapoor said.

He said the company has stalled operations in Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal following protests from small traders and intervention by the state governments.

Speaking to PTI earlier, Bijou Kurien, president and chief executive (lifestyle division), Reliance Retail, said the company would wait till the Uttar Pradesh government's next step based on the report of committee set up to study the impact of organised retail on local traders.

"Wherever possible, we are using properties booked for Reliance Fresh for other format stores," he added.

Reliance Retail recently entered the books and music segment with its TimeOut store in Bangalore. Reliance TimeOut is the eighth format of the company, which plans to invest 25,000 crore in the next four years in 784 cities.