Ravi Karandeekar's Indian Infrastructure Development News Links Blog

Metro rail, transportation, water supply, sewerage - solid waste management - constitute the major chunk of investments in Indian Metro Cities

2009-04-16T18:34:00.005+05:30

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) study:

Metro rail projects accounted for maximum of 27% share in total money injected in metro cities for infrastructure development under central, state, local government including corporates.

Sewerage and solid waste management investment in the Tier I cities constitute the major chunk of investments, specifically via government mode.

Mumbai (Rs166.94bn), Chennai (Rs15.88bn) and Bangalore (Rs13.54bn) are the major recipients of sewerage related investment. In percentage terms, it works out to be 16.90% of total infrastructure investment.

Tier I cities in India are working out hard to offset the huge pressure on their existing infrastructure, it is the metro rail projects which have been the key driver of the infrastructure investment in these cities with metro projects costing Rs340bn.

Transportation sector, other than metro rail, Rs62.83bn are being pooled in, accounting for 5% share. Roadway projects in the Tier I cities which include bridges, ROBs, highways and expressways, have been allocated Rs58.19bn.

Water Supply projects, primarily being undertaken by the central government under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, have absorbed Rs57.57bn investment with 4.54% share.

The Study is based on the ongoing projects of central and state governments and those announced by private sector in last Six months. Six metro cities taken in the study included Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad and Bangalore.
To read more, please, visit - Indiainfoline.com

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India Inc. reacts positively to 2nd economic stimulus measure

2009-01-04T17:37:00.005+05:30

External Commercial Borrowing:

In the latest package, the second announced in less than a month, the government, which faces elections by May this year, said it has removed 'all-in-cost' ceilings on External Commercial Borrowing or ECB, besides measures to facilitate access to funds for the housing sector that includes the 'development of integrated townships' to be permitted as an eligible end-use of the ECB.

To boost infrastructure spending, the government has authorized India Infrastructure Finance Company Limited (IIFCL) to raise Rs.10,000 crore to refinance bank lending for infrastructure projects. IIFCL has also been authorized to access in tranches an additional Rs.30,000 crore by way of tax-free bonds once funds raised in the current year are effectively utilized.

It also said that non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), dealing exclusively with infrastructure financing, would be permitted to raise money through ECB. These measures would be reviewed after June 30, it added.

However, Vinayak Chatterjee, chairman of Feedback Ventures feels that the government's package is insufficient for boosting infrastructure spending. "When one combines the existing infrastructure projects that are suffering on account of interest rates and liquidity as well as a crunch of new projects coming up," the amount authorized to IIFCL to raise is "insufficient," Chatterjee said.

"Secondly, we still don't know the details of how the money raised by IIFCL will actually be meaningful for infrastructure developers in the private sector," he said.

"Finally," Chaterjee added, "the critical aspect is that 80 percent of infrastructure spend is still by the public systems arena, which is public sector or government investments. They have been going through frightfully slow. Unfortunately, this fiscal stimulus package, while I recognize that it can only stimulate the infrastructure sector fiscally, would have welcomed any fresh out-of-the-box thinking on creation of some national-level high-powered committees like FIPB to push the pace of public expenditure.
To read more, please, visit - International Business Times

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5% energy to come from renewable sources from 2009-10

2009-01-01T10:09:00.003+05:30

Underlining the importance of electricity regulator in implementation of a national action plan on climate change, Pramod Deo, chairman of the central electricity regulatory commission (Cerc), on Saturday said that all power utilities in the country will have to buy at least five per cent of their grid purchase from renewable energy sources from 2009-10 onwards.

The Cerc will fix the dynamic minimum purchase standard for renewal energy which will help reduce emission from the electricity sector. 'While the minimum purchase standard will be fixed, from 2009-10 onwards all electricity utilities in the country will have to buy renewable energy. There will be one per cent increase in the purchase of renewable energy for every year for the next 10 years,' he said.

Deo was speaking on National action plan on climate change and the role of electricity regulator to mark the fifth foundation day of Pune-based World Institute of Sustainable Energy (Wise).
To read more, please, visit - The Times of India

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Cap on bidders delays 60 projects of modernising and improving more than 6,000 kilometres of roads in the country by December 2008

2008-12-21T17:25:00.005+05:30

Clause 2.1.18

The clause 2.1.18 inserted in the (Request for Proposal) ROP document limits the number of bidders through capping the number of bids per developer, number of projects per developer, and number of projects that a developer failed to get funding for.

The clause is understood to have resulted in withdrawal of many bidders from the race, hence leaving many projects to be awarded with less than five bidders each, and some with no bidders at all.

Earlier in August, road transport & highways secretary Brahma Dutt had said that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) would award 53 contracts for modernising and improving 6,000 kilometres of road under Phase III and Phase V of the ongoing National Highway Development Project (NHDP).
To read more, please, visit - DNA

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Creating jobs, infrastructure challenge India's growth

2008-11-26T17:35:00.003+05:30

To the litany of challenges that confront India's path to a better life, we can now add subdued economic growth as a result of the global financial crisis.

After three spectacular years of 9 percent-plus annual growth, India will reach just 6.3 percent next year, according to the latest forecast by the International Monetary Fund in early November. The Reserve Bank of India is forecasting a more optimistic 7.5 to 8 percent.

While 7.5 percent may still sound a good result, it is barely enough for the economy to keep pace with the 10 million-plus young people who will join the Indian job market in 2009.

India's major shortcomings in infrastructure, education, health care and environmental protection are well known, as are the constant problems of corruption, poor governance, rural poverty, communalism, domestic terrorism, child labor, discrimination against women and natural disasters such as floods and earthquakes. To read more, please, visit Geoff Hiscock - CNN.com

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Delhi's new airstrip, touted India's longest, is just seventh....

2008-10-30T18:15:00.005+05:30

The authorities that built the third runway at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport claim it's India's longest - but it's a credit that remains on paper because of a curious problem.

For all practical purposes, the runway is today India's seventh longest, as almost a quarter of it is unusable.

The IGI's new runway, rechristened (29/11), is touted as India's longest airstrip (4,430 metres). But an obstruction created by a 62-feet idol of Lord Shiva facing its landing approach in the east renders over a kilometre of the runway stretch unusable.

This makes the usable stretch shortened to 3,400 metres - making the runway shorter than airstrips in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore, in three other metros - Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai - and Delhi's own second runway and a little ahead of the Kochi airstrip. To read more, please visit - -The Economic Times

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Indian citizens, pay more for an uninterrupted electricity supply!

2008-10-24T07:42:00.010+05:30

Replication or Mockery of Pune Model?

If you pay more, you get uninterrupted electricity supply; if you can’t, there’s no such guarantee. That’s the ‘Pune Model’ of power distribution the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) has proposed to the Planning Commission for replication everywhere else.

The model provides for distribution franchisee for those areas where consumers are willing to pay a higher price in the form of reliability surcharge for uninterrupted supply. This implies wherever consumers are unable or are unwilling to pay more, uninterrupted electricity may not be for sure. To read more, please, visit - indianexpress.com

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India’s education: A $120 billion opportunity

2008-07-08T16:19:00.006+05:30

Technopak, a Delhi-based investment consultancy, estimates that the current private-education market is worth $40 billion a year, and that this could roughly triple to $110-120 billion in ten years’ time. The potential is attracting foreign companies such as Pearson Education (PSO), part of the UK-based publishing group, and McGraw-Hill (MHP), as well as private equity firms that include Blackstone (BX), New Vernon, and Deutsche Securities, part of Deutsche Bank (DB).

Government regulations, however, restrict what Indian and foreign private-sector companies can do. For-profit investment in schools and universities is banned, but it is allowed by charitable trusts, which run some 50,000 schools. Many of the trusts have been formed by companies that theoretically plough back the profits, though many siphon money into other businesses. One of the largest companies, the family-controlled Amity University, has 50,000 students across the country.
Riding the Elephant

SEZs need more liberal procedure norms - 45-day time limit can prove restrictive - Cushman & Wakefield white paper

2008-07-02T14:51:00.006+05:30

Highlighting the drawbacks in the procedure of procurement of goods into SEZs, the paper says the provision of procuring the entire material requirement within a 45-day time limit can prove restrictive if it is delayed for reasons beyond the developer's control.

Another issue is the uncertain presence and irregular availability of officials who monitor the movement of goods, which leads to longer time spent in keeping a rapport with them, the paper points out.

There is a need to simplify the procedure for moving the goods out of the SEZ for repairs or replacement, moving excess goods out for return and also for disposal of debris and scrap, the paper recommends.
-The Times of India

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development special economic zones (SEZs) Cushman & Wakefield white paper terms and conditions of development and construction procurement material movement goods officials

Why US firm, Star Universal Resource Company, is keen to build expressway between Sikkim and Bengal?

2008-05-16T12:39:00.006+05:30

American construction major, Star Universal Resource Company, has expressed interest in building an expressway between Sikkim and West Bengal.

A team of the New York based firm, made a presentation to Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling on the proposed expressway between Sevoke in north Bengal and Gangtok, an official release said on Wednesday.

Chamling, Roads and Bridges Minister d T Lepcha, officials of the Border Roads Organization and the 17th Mountain Division of the army were present during the presentation yesterday.
-The Economic Times

SkyscraperCity: Is this legal? Dont you have to put up a tender?

South drives away with a big chunk of road projects

2008-05-16T11:44:00.009+05:30

Highways development has taken a southward turn with 45% of Rs 40,000-crore new road projects earmarked for southern states. Major beneficiaries of this shift are expected to engage south-based infrastructure developers like GVK, GMR, Nagarjuna Construction and Lanco.

The 18-road projects executed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are expected to be completed in three years. Companies like Lanco, L&T and Gayatri Projects have already expressed interest in these projects, a source said.
-The Economic Times

Consistency of policies and processes is as important as actual concessions

2008-03-25T09:26:00.005+05:30

The finance minister has kept his promise of enhancing the financial support to key flagship infrastructure programmes like the National Urban Renewal Mission, National Highways Development Programme, Bharat Nirman and ulta-mega power projects. It is this continuity of support that gives the confidence to private investors and developers to take a long-term view of the sector.
Financial Express - Yahoo! India News

GAIL, India’s leading natural gas transmission company, awarded the Oil and Gas Transportation Company of the Year, for the year 2006-07

2008-03-24T20:27:00.007+05:30

GAIL owns and operates 6700 km. of natural gas transmission network which is over 82% of the total pipeline infrastructure in the country. The extensive natural gas infrastructure established over the last two decades has enabled sustained development of sizeable gas market in the country.

GAIL has a track record of operating the pipelines efficiently and maintaining high safety standards.

During the year 2006-07, GAIL handled around 28 BCM of Natural Gas through its Transmission Network and currently, its market share in gas transmission is 79%.

The operating performance of the pipelines operated by GAIL has been excellent in 2006-07 and 100% availability of natural gas pipeline systems was maintained.

GAIL has robust future plans and a road map has been developed to increase pipeline infrastructure to 11000 km by 2011-12.

In addition to gas pipeline network, GAIL owns and operates world's longest exclusive LPG Pipeline Jamnagar-Loni pipeline (1269 km) and another one, Vizag-Secunderabad LPG pipeline (653 km).

These pipelines have efficiently substituted rail/road transportation of LPG to a large extent in the respective areas and also resulted in reduction of emissions.
Moneycontrol India :

Hail to the Rail!: Religare, Federation of Indian Export Organisations, PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Ficci and Assocham

2008-02-26T21:09:00.010+05:30

The 2008-09 Railway Budget has clearly focused on improving technology and expanding infrastructure, apart from providing relief to commuters and the industry by cutting fares and freight rates, according to Religare.

Other positive initiatives for the industry are the formation of an SPV for links to the Mundra, Kandla and Krishnapatnam ports, and the Rs 1 lakh crore worth of PPP (Public Private Partnerships) planned over the next five years.

Such initiatives, says Religare, would enhance infrastructure and facilitate a better exchange of goods and services in the country at a lower cost.

And the key sectors that would benefit from the resultant business opportunity are logistics, EPC, IT, equipment and metal industries, added Religare.

the budget also lends a “fillip to investments in infrastructure to promote faster transportation of goods and services in the country with higher private participation”.
Logistics, metals, IT to benefit from Rail Budget: Religare

Freight Corridors

According to the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO), the construction of the dedicated East-West freight corridor would pave the way for smoother and greater trade.

"Construction of the East-West corridor with finalisation of Ludhiana-Kolkata and Delhi-JNPT (Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust) Corridors is expected to avoid congestion and increase efficiency in delivery," FIEO President Ganesh Kumar Gupta said.

However, PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (PHDCCI) said: "There is need to ensure that the dedicated freight corridors are completed on time but proper milestones for achieving the targets on time are missing in the budget.
India Inc welcomes Railway Budget 2008-09 - Sify.com

"Pragmatic, Progressive and Futuristic," India Inc.

"The Railway Budget has attempted to address the transport requirement of an expanding Indian economy. The Minister has introduced several new procedures which will facilitate private sector participation in the Railways, particularly in design and development of new models of wagons," Ficci President Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.

The chamber further said an investment of Rs 2,50,000 crore and 'Vision 2025' would help in augmenting railway capacity and managing the huge traffic that the growth of the Indian economy will generate
The Hindu News Update Service

India prepares for railway expansion

2008-02-26T10:34:00.001+05:30

Last year freight was the focus of the railway budget, this year Mr Yadav is expected to focus on using the large land bank the railways owns to make money. With more than 7,000 stations, it is estimated that India's railways has more than 45,000 hectares of land that could be developed.

read more | digg story

National Highway Authority of India awards 2 major projects worth Rs 400 crore to PNC Infratech

2008-01-30T11:42:00.000+05:30

These include the Dholpur-Morena section of NH3 in Rajasthan and, the development of an expressway in Jarora-Nayagaon section in Madhya Pradesh on BOT basis, PNC Infratech CMD Pradeep Kumar Jain said.

PNC Infratech has already executed 8 major projects in the development of express highways and runways in the last 7 years costing around Rs 350 Crore including the Agra-Gwalior National Highway.

The company, PNC Infratech, is presently executing 7 major projects worth well over Rs 600 crore.
-The Economic Times

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog highways runways expressways BOT Pradeep Kumar Jain, CMD, PNC Infratech National Highway 3 Agra-Gwalior National Highway

Railways has identified 22 stations, located in metropolitan cities and major tourist centres, to be modernized into world class facilities

2008-01-04T18:51:00.000+05:30

Tata Realty and Infrastructure Ltd (a 100% subsidiary of Tata Sons),
the Mukesh Ambani-controlled Reliance Industries Ltd,
Anil Ambani’s Reliance-ADA Group,
engineering and construction major Larsen and Toubro Ltd,
India’s largest listed developer DLF Ltd,
GVK Group (which runs the airport in Mumbai),
GMR Group (operates the Hyderabad and New Delhi airports),
infrastructure developer DS Constructions Ltd
and Maytas Infra Pvt. Ltd are planning to participate in the project.

New Delhi railway station:

The ministry has already come out with a global advertisement on this project.

To begin with, the ministry has appointed a consortium of business and design consultants—Hong Kong’s Terry Ferrell & Partners Ltd, the London-headquartered Ove Arup & Partners and SMEC International Pvt. Ltd. of Gurgaon—to finalize the business plans for New Delhi railway station.

The consortium would submit a master plan and feasibility report by February.

Later, the mandate to develop New Delhi railway station would be given to a public-private partner consortium through competitive selection.

This player can run New Delhi station for 35 years on a design, build, finance, operate and transfer, (DBFOT), basis.

Besides New Delhi, the other 21 stations identified for development are 1. Pune, 2. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (Mumbai),
3. Howrah (Kolkata), 4. Anand Vihar (Delhi),
5. Bijwasan (Delhi), 6. Lucknow,
7. Amritsar, 8. Chandigarh,
9. Varanasi, 10. Chennai,
11. Thiruvananthapuram, 12. Secunderabad,
13. Ahmedabad, 14. Patna, 15.Gaya,
16. Bhubaneswar, 17. Mathura,
18. Agra, 19. Bangalore,
20. Bhopal, 21. Jaipur.

Apart from domestic players, a few leading international firms, too, have shown interest in this project.
- livemint

Related Story: DLF and Hines, developers of San Francisco Transbay Transit Center and Tower, may compete for New Delhi Railway Station

State-owned NTPC may soon be armed with more financial power to compete with its private sector counterparts to bid for state sector projects

2008-01-01T10:46:00.000+05:30

In a letter to power secretary Anil Razdan, NTPC chairman and managing director T Sankaralingam has sought fresh approval for more financial autonomy (for investment in state projects) within the existing investment caps.

The government rules put a ceiling of 15% of the net worth of NTPC in one project and the overall ceiling of 30% of the net worth of NTPC in all such projects.

With NTPC’s net worth hovering around Rs 48,000 crore mark, the changes would allow the power generator to invest over Rs 7,000 crore in one state sector project.

NTPC has submitted request for qualification (RFQ) documents for projects at:
Shahpura, MP (1,500 MW);
Bara, UP (1,980 MW);
Karchana, UP (1,320 MW);
MIDC, SEZ at Bhadravati, Maharashtra (1,320 MW)
and 3 projects in Karnataka state at:
Chamalpura, Ghataprabha, Jeawargi, each of 1,320 MW.

The equity investment requirement in each of these projects is over Rs 1,000 crore which would prevent NTPC to bag these projects under present investment ceilings.
-The Economic Times

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog Anil Razdan, power secretary T Sankaralingam, NTPC chairman and managing director financial autonomy investment ceiling NTPC’s net worth net worth investment request for qualification (RFQ) Shahpura power project, MP Bara power project, UP Karchana power projec, UP MIDC, SEZ at Bhadravatipower project, Maharashtra Chamalpura power project, Karnataka Ghataprabha power project, Karnataka Jeawargi power project, Karnataka

IT SEZs are better placed to be executed much ahead of SEZs in manufacturing sector says Vikram Doshi, KPMG, India head for the SEZs

2007-12-31T18:09:00.000+05:30

Doshi said that the rapid implementation of IT SEZs is also driven by the corresponding sunset clause of the Software Technology Park of India (STPI) scheme, necessitating them to be equally competitive even if they were to loose STPI benefits.
- Sify.com

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog Vikram Doshi, KPMG KPMG special economic zone (SEZ) manufacturing SEZ

SEZs in Andhra Pradesh: Weekly News Review

2007-12-31T16:30:00.000+05:30

Andhra Pradesh has the largest number of notified SEZs in the country at 48, most of them in the IT and IT-enabled services sectors.
-The Economic Times

Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot requests Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy:

"Make special economic zones (SEZs) a part of the inclusive growth strategy"

How?
Assocham president's few suggestions:
- Making land losers partners in prosperity,
- Locating SEZs in backward and naxal-prone areas like Telangana, and
- Ensuring that only barren and waste lands are given for the purpose.
-Business Standard

Opposition and Encouragement:
Though Opposition parties including the Telugu Desam and the Left have been protesting against land acquisition for SEZs in general, the government has been encouraging direct negotiations between industrialists and farmers for purchase of lands besides asking companies to provide liberal compensation packages to the land losers.
-Business Standard

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) seeks soaps for setting up the Rs. 25,600-crore export-oriented refinery-cum-petrochemical project, Kakinada project from Andhra Pradesh Government:
- the same financial sops as those offered to the Special Economic Zones (SEZs)
- exemption from sales tax on sale of petroleum and petrochemical products
- provide 950 hectares land free of cost
-to provide road and rail connectivity
- develop sewage and refinery effluent disposal system
- communication connectivity

ONGC had conveyed to the Government that it would proceed with the project only after getting confirmation for the incentives it had sought.
- The Hindu

Indira Gandhi Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock (IGCARL):
The Andhra Pradesh government is planning to invite and finalise global bids in the next three months for the development of Indira Gandhi Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock (IGCARL), which includes a 300-acre SEZ for vaccine producing units apart from research laboratories, under the public-private partnership model.

Termed as the first-of-its-kind facility for livestock research and animal vaccine production in the country, the state government proposes to complete the phase one project by December 2008. The total project is estimated to cost about Rs 386 crore of which the private partner would hold a majority stake.

The Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC), which is also entrusted with the task of securing the SEZ status for the project, has roped in JNTU School of Planning and Architecture for preparing a detailed cost estimate, design and architecture for the proposed centre
- Business Standard

Kakinada farmer Narasimha Murthy’s 5-acre farm supports 50 people, each living on around Rs 800 a month, more than twice the official rural poverty line. Why would farmers like him in 16 villages in Andhra Pradesh want to give up this livelihood for the Kakinada SEZ? What does the SEZ offer them anyway?
The SEZ versus the ‘unrewarding’ small farm: By Aseem Shrivastava: - InfoChange India News Features

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog special economic zone (SEZ) Andhra Pradesh special economic zones in Andhra Pradesh Assocham president Venugopal N Dhoot Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy Telangana, naxal-prone areas Telugu Desam Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) export-oriented refinery-cum-petrochemical project Kakinada project sales tax petroleum and petrochemical products sewage refinery effluent disposal system Indira Gandhi Centre for Advanced Research on Livestock (IGCARL) public-private partnership livestock research animal vaccine production Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation (APIIC) JNTU School of Planning and Architecture Kakinada farmers

IFFCO to set up agriculture, food processing 'Kisan' SEZ in Andhra Pradesh

2007-12-31T15:46:00.000+05:30

The Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) plans to invest more than Rs 2,000 crore to develop the duty-free enclave in Nellore district on some 2,000 acres, directly generating 10,000 jobs.

Christened the ‘Kisan’ SEZ, it will also house an institute to provide training in agriculture and related technologies and grain storage facilities.

-The Economic Times

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) SEZ Kisan SEZ Andhra Pradesh duty-free enclave Nellore district, Andhra Pradesh jobs agriculture food processing training in agriculture and related technologies training in grain storage facilities

Ganga Express-way Project to remove regional imbalance between eastern and western Uttar Pradesh

2007-12-29T18:32:00.000+05:30

For the Ganga Express-way, from eastern U.P. (Varanasi - Ballia) to western U.P. (Noida), Project, on the basis of public - private partnership an investment of Rs. 40 thousand crore and of Rs. 80 thousand crore in the development sector is expected.

For the first time in the country any state is planning and executing a project of such large magnitude.

Since the investment for the project will be from the participation of the private sector therefore there will be no financial burden on the Government and its role will that be of a facilitator.

36 Tehsils of 19 districts will benefit from the Ganga Express-way.

This project will be constructed on the embankments on the left bank of the river Ganga. It may be noted that the left bank of Ganga River is more devastated by floods. Hence millions of flood affected will get relief through this project and the farmers of these areas will get the opportunity to procure two crops, which in turn will improve their financial status.

10 major development areas, each of approximately four to five thousand acres will be developed in the Express-way Project. These areas will be equipped with infrastructure facilities like electricity, water, roads, health services, educational institutions and housing.

In the development area, industries will be established in 10 thousand acres.

Through five hundred large-scale industries six to seven thousand persons will gain employment while three lakh persons will be directly or indirectly employed in medium and small-scale industries.

The local population gets maximum opportunities of employment in these industries, for this technical/commercial educational and training institutes will be established in the development areas in fifteen hundred acres.

It is expected that seven to eight lakh persons will either reside or work in these areas in the next ten years.
U.P. Government

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog regional imbalance eastern Uttar Pradesh western Uttar Pradesh Varanasi - Ballia Noida public - private partnership investment development sector facilitator left bank of the river Ganga floods farmers two crops development areas infrastructure facilities electricity water roads health services educational institutions housing large-scale industries medium and small-scale industries local population employment technical/commercial educational and training institutes

Political opposition to 'Ganga Expressway' project of Uttar Pradesh government

2007-12-29T06:37:00.000+05:30

8 Lane Access Controlled Expressway of length of about 1,047 km, from Greater Noida (western U.P.) to Ballia (Varanasi) (eastern U.P.) on Public Private Partnership (PPP) Model along the left bank of river Ganga with an estimated total construction cost of the order of Rs 40,000 crore.

Touted to be first of its kind project in the country, is slated to take off next month, the opposition parties in the state have already started making a hue and cry over it by disputing state government's claim of fair deal to farmers in acquisition of land.

The Opposition parties, however, discounted the claim of the government that the adequate compensation along with a rehabilitation package would be ensured before acquisition of land along the river Ganga.

Chief Minister Mayawati announced that the project would start next month with open bid to be finalised on January 13.
UNIIndia

infrastructure development Indian infrastructure development blog Uttar Pradesh government Access Controlled Expressway Greater Noida (western U.P.) Ballia (Varanasi) (eastern U.P.) Public Private Partnership (PPP) construction cost opposition parties Political opposition farmers acquisition of land adequate compensation rehabilitation package Chief Minister Mayawati open bid

States may need to float special purpose vehicles before inviting bids for large hydro electric power projects

2007-12-28T19:20:00.000+05:30

As per the proposal, the state governments would be asked to create a bank of detailed project reports (DPRs) on potential hydro electric projects planned by them.

This would be done by a special purpose vehicles (SPV) having both state government agencies and power sector funding and consultancy firms as partners.

The bids would subsequently be invited by SPVs for each project and the successful bidder would be given control of the company.

Money for conducting DPRs may come out from a revolving fund out of the proceeds of 12% free power. The Planning Commission has also been asked to provide some funds from a Central pool.

The changes would help to invite more private sector investment in the sector.
-The Economic Times

Because of Singur, Nandigram incidents no withdrawals of proposed investments from West Bengal: Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee

2007-12-28T18:20:00.000+05:30

The year 2007 saw West Bengal receiving its highest investments in the last 15 years. Iron and steel attracted investments to the tune of Rs 90,000 crore, followed by chemicals and petrochemicals and food processing.

West Bengal was a strong contender for setting up of a petrochemicals, chemicals and petroleum investment region (PCP&IR), at Nayachar islands near Haldia.

Modernisation of Dum Dum airport would start in January 2008 and would be completed by 2010.
-The Economic Times

Ravi Karandeekar's Indian Infrastructure Development News Links Blog

Metro rail, transportation, water supply, sewerage - solid waste management - constitute the major chunk of investments in Indian Metro Cities

Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM) study:

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India Inc. reacts positively to 2nd economic stimulus measure

External Commercial Borrowing:

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5% energy to come from renewable sources from 2009-10

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Cap on bidders delays 60 projects of modernising and improving more than 6,000 kilometres of roads in the country by December 2008

Clause 2.1.18

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Creating jobs, infrastructure challenge India's growth

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Delhi's new airstrip, touted India's longest, is just seventh....

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Indian citizens, pay more for an uninterrupted electricity supply!

Replication or Mockery of Pune Model?

Related Stories:

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India’s education: A $120 billion opportunity

SEZs need more liberal procedure norms - 45-day time limit can prove restrictive - Cushman & Wakefield white paper

Why US firm, Star Universal Resource Company, is keen to build expressway between Sikkim and Bengal?

South drives away with a big chunk of road projects

Consistency of policies and processes is as important as actual concessions

GAIL, India’s leading natural gas transmission company, awarded the Oil and Gas Transportation Company of the Year, for the year 2006-07

Hail to the Rail!: Religare, Federation of Indian Export Organisations, PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India, Ficci and Assocham

Freight Corridors

"Pragmatic, Progressive and Futuristic," India Inc.

India prepares for railway expansion

National Highway Authority of India awards 2 major projects worth Rs 400 crore to PNC Infratech

Railways has identified 22 stations, located in metropolitan cities and major tourist centres, to be modernized into world class facilities

New Delhi railway station:

State-owned NTPC may soon be armed with more financial power to compete with its private sector counterparts to bid for state sector projects

IT SEZs are better placed to be executed much ahead of SEZs in manufacturing sector says Vikram Doshi, KPMG, India head for the SEZs

SEZs in Andhra Pradesh: Weekly News Review

IFFCO to set up agriculture, food processing 'Kisan' SEZ in Andhra Pradesh

Ganga Express-way Project to remove regional imbalance between eastern and western Uttar Pradesh

Political opposition to 'Ganga Expressway' project of Uttar Pradesh government

States may need to float special purpose vehicles before inviting bids for large hydro electric power projects

Because of Singur, Nandigram incidents no withdrawals of proposed investments from West Bengal: Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee