Upcoming Projects in India

5854 Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is mulling setting up aRs 30,000 crore refinery at Mundra in Gujarat as part of a plan to increase its processing capacity to 100 million tonnes. IOC has seven refineries with a total capacity of 54.2 million tonnes and subsidiary Chennai PetroleumCorp operates a 11.5 million tonne plant. A coastal refinery would enable IOC to ship in larger quantities of heavier grades of crude oil, which are cheaper because they are more difficult to process into fuels. "We want to set up a coastal refinery on the west coast. We have been hunting for land for a 15 million ton a year refinery and now have two sites -- the Mundra port of the Adanis and another minor port in Maharashtra," a senior IOC official said. The Adani Group has land at Mundra which IOC can take over for the refinery, he said, adding that in Maharashtra, the land would have to be acquired. The company has been offered land by Adani Group at Mundra, he said. IOC has a 13.7 million tonne refinery at Koyali in Gujarat and does not have a presence in Maharashtra. All of its refineries are landlocked. Its first coastal refinery at Paradip in Odisha will come up later this year. "We have commissioned Engineers India Ltd to do a configuration and location study for the west coast refinery," he said, adding the plant is scheduled to come up by 2021-22. He said IOC has plans to raise its refining capacity to 100 million tonnes by 2021-22. The Koyali refinery capacity will be increased to 18 million tonnes at a cost of Rs 4,858 crore, while the Mathura plant may be expanded to 11 million tonnes from 8 million tonnes. Also, an expansion of the Panipat plant to 18 or 21 million tonnes from 15 million tonnes is being considered. The under-construction 15 million ton Paradip refinery in Odisha would be expanded to 20 million tonnes in future. "Paradip refinery will be fully commissioned by year end," he added. IOC plans to invest Rs 56,200 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan period ending March 31, 2017, he said, adding that Rs 27,159 crore is being set aside to expand refining capacity. Betting big on petrochemicals, the company plans to set up a polypropylene unit at Paradip at a cost of Rs 3,150 crore while building similar units at Gujarat and Panipat. The Paradip refinery, he said, is nearing mechanical completion and the petrochemical project will thereafter take 36-39 months to complete.

5853 Experts whom Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) plans to rope in to execute the suspension bridge project at Kamatibaug will visit the city on Thursday. While the bridge has been designed by city-based architects, VMC has decided to rope in experts from outside to execute the project as the structure is very unique. The suspension bridge is coming up at the place where a similar bridge collapsed in 1964. It was at the insistence of local users of the garden that the project was considered. The VMC is expecting to add an attraction to the garden and also reduce the distance between two parts of the garden for visitors. Gurdev Singh, Dean of the School of Environmental Design and Architecture of Navrachana University, had made the asymmetrical design that is suspended only from one end and one would have to loop around the pole to which the cables were attacked to reach the span of the bridge. The spiraling structure at one end will ensure that the person climbing it gets a view of the garden from all the angles. tnn The VMC decided to rope in L&T Ltd for execution of the project. A Chennai-based expert from the company is expected to visit the site on Thursday along with engineers of the company from Vadodara. The team is then expected to hold meetings with VMC officials and architects including Singh who designed the project..

5852 The EGIS group, a French engineering group involved in the areas of infrastructure and transport systems, planning, water and environment, has been awarded with the tender to create a feasibility report for the Bengaluru-Mumbai economic corridor planned as an anchor of the UK-India partnership. "The terms of reference were issued and invitations for tenders were called. We have now commissioned a study to get details on what are the requirements. The study will be ready in a year and then only will we decide on the nature of investments," said Kumar Iyer, British deputy high commissioner, Western India and director general, India – UK trade and investment. The project aims at creating advantages of industrial development, which will build linkages that will provide a better access to production units and reduce transportation time and other expenses. The corridor will start from Bangalore, passing through Tumkur, Chitradurga, Hubli, Dharwad and Belgaum in Karnataka, Kolhapur, Sangli, Satara, Karad and Pune and end at Mumbai in Maharashtra. UK will also look at investing in more infrastructure projects, according to Iyer. "There are several projects that are being planned and we are looking at infrastructure funds on infrastructure projects all over the country," he said.

5851 Jindal Power announced it has commissioned the first 600 megawatt unit of a 2,400 MW expansion project at its coal-fired power plant in Chhattisgarh. The new unit, now a part of India's first mega power project with a capacity of 1,000 MW before the expansion, was completed in record time. "This has been done in a record period of 27 months from start of boiler erection which is a new benchmark in the country for all units of similar capacity," Jindal Power said in a statement. "The project envisages a total investment of nearly $2 billion." The company expects to commission an additional two units by March 14, with one reportedly synchronized on Feb. 22. The expansion project has been divided into two phases of 1,200 MW each. The first phase of 1200 MW has been granted coal linkage by the Government of India. Jindal said it aims to have a total installed capacity of 10 GW by 2020 with a mix of energy sources, including thermal and renewable energy.

5850 Producing as much energy as it consumes by using geothermal cooling systems and solar energy, eastern India's first net-zero energy building will come up at Bhubaneswar next year. Spread over three acres, the project will house the new office of the Grid Corporation of Odisha Ltd (GRIDCO), under the Odisha government's energy department. "The building invites direct natural sunlight and screen radiation. It would have photovoltaic glass panels and geothermal cooling systems at strategic places along with its indigenous solar generating systems so that is sustained itself with own energy," Kolkata-based architect AbinChaudhuri, who has designed the structure, told PTI here. The average running cost of energy for a standard building of this capacity amounts to Rs 10 per square feet, however, for this green project it will not be more than Rs 2 per square feet. "Very roughly I am assuming that the Energy Performance Index (EPI) of the building will be roughly 90 KWh/sqm/year. The same can be generated with 180KWp of solar panels," the architect said. The construction is expected to start this year and will be ready by the end of next year. Divided into three buildings, the eco-friendly campus with a built-up area of about 1.7 lakh square feet and the capacity to accommodate about 300 people. The building has been designed on the basis of sun-path of Bhubaneswar by calculating how long direct sunlight or radiation was tolerable for human habitat using computer simulation. Chaudhuri said they had used simple strategies like rainwater harvesting and proper orientation of the building, protection of interiors from harsh sunlight for a greener architecture and reduce energy consumption of the building. "Harvested rain water can be treated and used as potable water. Treated grey water can be recycled and used for flushing and landscape irrigation," he said. Grey water can also be circulated in pipes below the earth's surface and pumped through a network of pipes within the slabs and walls to cool the building using geo-thermal system.

5849 Offshore specialist Nordic Maritime has been awarded a contract worth US$ 23.5 million to provide 3D marine seismic data acquisition and processing services off the cost of Andhra Pradesh, India. SCF collaboration Nordic Maritime will provide the services to Cairn India Limited, and will commence work later in March. The company will collaborate with SCF Geo of Russia, and the contract will feature SCF’s seismic survey vessel VyacheslavTikhonov. The VyacheslavTikhonov vessel will survey approximately 1000 km2 of ocean bed. The project will also include the acquisition of gravity and magnetic data alongside the seismic data near Nizamapatnam Bay. The VyacheslavTikhonov was built in 2011 and is operated by SCF GEO, based in St Petersburg. To support the 3D data acquisition programme, Nordic and SCF Geo will charter and mobilise a supply ship and 10 chase vessels locally from Indian owners. Seismic survey vessel The vessel is an 8-streamer seismic survey vessel, based on the X-bow Ulstein design from Norway. Nordic Maritime confirmed that the project will commence on 15th March and will last three months.

5848 IL&FS Engineering and Construction on Wednesday said it has won a Rs.300- crore contract for elevated metro stations of Kolkata Metro Line in West Bengal. “IL&FS Engineering and Construction company has been awarded a contract by RVNL (Rail Vikas Nigam Ltd), Kolkata for a value of Rs.299.76 crore towards construction of seven elevated metro stations from sub CBD-1 to Titumir in New Garia-Airport Metro Corridor of Kolkata Metro Line in state of West Bengal,” the company said in a BSE filing. The project has to be completed in three years from the date of issue of letter of acceptance. The company is already executing two railway contracts for RVNL worth more than Rs.500 crore—one involving construction of a new broad gauge railway line in Kadapa and Nellore districts of Andhra Pradesh. It said it is executing the other project in Maharashtra which involves doubling of Bhigwan-Mohol section part of Daund-Gulbarga doubling in Solapur district. The company is also executing Rapid Metro Project, phase II in Gurgaon involving construction of 6.7 km of elevated viaduct and five elevated stations of around Rs.350 crorevalue. Earlier the company has executed Rapid Metro’s phase I contract worth Rs.259 crore that involved construction of single and double track elevated viaduct, including six station buildings.

5847 Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt ltd is planning to double its manufacturing capacity to 6,000 mega watt (MW) a year in its Chennai plant. The expansion is to support the company’s plan to export products from India to the markets in the region. The plant manufactures generators and turbines for the domestic market at present. Speaking on the sidelines of CII’s conference on Conscious Competitiveness Technology Driven Competitiveness in Chennai today, Yoshiaki Inayama, managing director, Toshiba JSW Power Systems said current capacity of the plant is 3,000-Mw a year and will be doubled. The company has invested around $200 million till now. He declined to share any investment number for the proposed expansion plan. “We are waiting for the recovery in the Indian market, our plan is ready and we got enough space for the new equipments and facilities. Once we decide to invest, we can increase our capacity.” The expansion comes against the backdrop of growing demand in global market, thanks to the number of ultra mega power projects (UMPP). Toshibha JSW provided its solutions for 10 such projects, which have got 800 MW each, in India. Inayama claims that company’s solution can offer around 10 per cent saving. The company started its operations in 2008 and manufacturing in 2011. Currently, it is exporting from its Japan plant,and Chennai will be the second plant to cater to exports. It now caters to West Asia and other Southeast markets. He said one of the key advantages of India, especially Chennai, was its location as it located in the middle of emerging markets. “The cost advantage would be around 20 per cent and depends upon the model, when we export from Chennai,” he said.

5846 Spinning mills manufacturer BannariAmmans has inked anMoU with the Tamil Nadu government for setting up its textile project in the state. "The Tamil Nadu based company's subsidiary Abirami Amman Mills Pvt Ltd has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Tamil Nadu Government for setting up of a textile project near Dindigul in Tamil Nadu," Bannari Amman Spinning Mills said. However, the company did not disclose the details of the investment proposed or the capacity of the plant. The company had recently promoted a wholly-owned subsidiary Abirami Amman Mills Pvt Ltd to implement the new projects in future. Bannari Amman currently has two factories for yarn spinning housed in Tamil Nadu with an installed capacity of more than 1.40 lakh spindles. The spinning division is in Dindigul while the weaving division is in Coimbatore. The company has a technical textile division comprising of coating, flocking and lamination units, a company website said.

5845 Realty major Godrej Properties has signed an agreement with group firm Godrej & Boyce for the development of a premium housing project on the latter's land parcel at Vikhroli in Mumbai. Godrej Properties, a part of Godrej Group, would act as development manager and get 10% of the total revenue generated from this project as a service fee. In a statement today, Godrej Properties announced it has entered into "an agreement with Godrej & Boyce to develop a new project on the latter's property on the Eastern Express Highway, Vikhroli, Mumbai." The potential saleable area in this project would be up to 8 lakh sqft and is likely to comprise of premium residences as well as a small component of convenience retail. "Godrej Properties will act as development manager and will work with Godrej & Boyce on the conceptualisation, design, sales, and marketing of the project," it said. The design and construction costs will be borne by Godrej & Boyce in its role as owner-developer, while the cost for sales and marketing would be borne by Godrej Properties in its role as a development manager. Godrej Properties Managing Director & CEO Pirojsha Godrej said: "We are happy to add this exciting new project to our Vikhroli development portfolio. We now have about 5 million sqft of saleable area in Vikhroli that is under various stages of execution or planning." This new development would add to the scale of operations in Vikhroliand help the company build momentum in establishing Vikhroli as Mumbai's most exciting destination, he added. At Vikhroli, Godrej Properties is developing a housing project 'Godrej Platinum' under similar agreement with Godrej & Boyce.

5844 Toyo Engineering has been awarded a regasification plant project by Petronet LNG in India, the company confirmed on Tuesday. The plant is to be constructed at Dahej, located in the State of Gujarat on the west coast of India, to expand the LNG receiving capacity from 10 million tpy to 15 million tpy. Toyo-India will lead EPC work on a turnkey basis, from engineering to construction and commissioning. The plant is scheduled to be completed at the beginning of 2017. Construction of Dahej Terminal (original capacity: 5 million tpy), the first LNG receiving terminal in India, was awarded in 2000 to a consortium consisting of current IHI Corp., Toyo, Itochu, and Mitsui. In 2006, a consortium of IHI and Toyo received an order again to expand the receiving capacity. To meet the growing demand of natural gas for electricity and fertilizer, more than 10 additional LNG import terminals are now planned to be built in India. Toyo says it will actively develop its business activities in India, striving to receive orders related to these LNG receiving terminal projects.

5843 Ahmedabad is all set for a revamp of its police machinery with latest technology and tools to handle crimes following approval of aRs 25 crore project under the Modernisation of Police Fund (MPF). Ahmedabad Police will set up a state-of-the-art control room, install CCTV cameras as well as Global Positioning System (GPS) on vehicles," he said. To discuss the needs of Ahmedabad police, a joint meeting of state police officials and Union Home Ministry was held in New Delhi on December 20, 2013. "After the discussion, a project of Rs 25 crores has been finalised. 60 per cent of funding will be given by the Centre, while the state will bear 40 per cent of the project cost," said a senior IPS official on condition of anonymity. The project is divided into three different sub-projects, another senior police official said. In the first 'cyber highway' sub-project, a dedicated fibre optic network will be laid at a cost of Rs 10 crores exclusively for police department to exchange data with control room. The second sub-project includes installation of CCTV cameras at all the entry and exit points of the city to keep a watch on criminals. The third sub-project involves integration of several tools, called as C4-I. It stands for Command, Control, Communication, Co-ordination-Integration.

5842 The future of the KMP expressway now depends on what the private consultant - soon to be hired by the industrial authority to work on a viability report - makes of the project that has virtually hit a dead end after having missed multiple deadlines. Recently, four consulting firms, willing to take up this study, submitted their proposals to the HSIIDC. The firm that is finally hired to conduct the study will, among other things, look into the legal nitty-gritties of the contract agreement that the HSIIDC signed with the present concessionaire. This means that there remains a likelihood of the 'substitution clauses' of the contract being invoked, resulting in the scrapping of the current contract. Officials said the viability report will look into the 'technical, commercial and legal due diligence of the various options available for the completion and implementation of the KMP project.' For the moment, though, the HSIIDC officials are unwilling to speculate on possible measures that will determine the future course of the KMP e-way project.

5841 SPML has received two new orders worth Rs 721 crore. It bagged an order worth Rs 590 crore from Bhavnagar Irrigation Project Division, Gujarat, and another Rs 130 crore order from South Bihar Power Distribution Company, Patna,

5840 L&T Construction has won orders worth Rs 2,935 crore across business segments in February and March. In the transportation infrastructure business, it has secured orders worth Rs 1,035 crore. A major EPC order is from Rail Vikas Nigam for doubling of Sambalpur-Titlagarh section of the East Coast Railway in Odisha. In the building and factories segment, L&T got orders worth Rs 562 crore. A major turnkey order is from the Lucknow Development Authority for construction of 11 towers, comprising 1,672 apartments, in Lucknow. In water and renewable energy business, the company has secured orders worth Rs 553 crore. An order for a riverfront development project in Patna is from the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation. The project is funded by the World Bank. The power transmission and distribution business, L&T has secured orders worth Rs 502 crore from the domestic and international markets. A turnkey order from DakshinanchalVidyutVitran Nigam Ltd is for system improvement, strengthening and augmentation of power distribution system in Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh.

5839 SAIL and KIOCL, two PSUs under the Steel Ministry, are set to ink a joint venture partnership for setting up a three lakh tonne coke oven battery and a captive power plant at an estimated investment of Rs 450 crore in Karnataka. Sources close to the development said the facility would be a win-win proposition for both Steel Authority of India and KIOCL, formerly known as Kudremukh Iron Ore Company. "The coke oven battery will help KIOCL to run its blast furnace viably on stand-alone basis and would act as a backward integration project. SAIL's Bhadrvati unit also needs coke," the source said. Coking coal is converted into coke in ovens. The future of SAIL's loss-making Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant at Bhadravati can change its prospects with better and assured availability of coke, a raw material for steel making. The proposed shareholding of the project is yet to be arrived at. Ditto for the off-take agreement and details of estimated investment of Rs 425 crore. The proposed unit was originally planned by KIOCL and accordingly, it has already obtained environmental clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest for establishment from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board. However, KIOCL Board subsequently directed the company to explore the possibility for a possible tie-up to take up the project forward on joint venture basis in the best interest of both the firms. "A draft MoU to be entered into between the two firms is under consideration by the two parties. The matter is likely to be resolved soon," he said.

5838 Dubai-based port operator DP World has announced that it is fast tracking a project to build new facilities in India in a bid to start operations as early in 2015 as possible. A major milestone in the development of the new DP World terminal at India's premier gateway port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, has been achieved with the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone. The ceremony was carried out by India's Minister of Shipping, Shri GK Vasan, at the Nhava Sheva Gateway Terminal site. Once constructed, the new terminal will add 800,000 TEUs (twenty foot equivalent container units) of container capacity to the port, and help ease congestion, as the port is currently operating beyond capacity DP World is investing $200 million to build the terminal, a statement said. Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman, DP World, said: "Today is an important milestone for us and we thank the Honourable Minister Shri GK Vasan for laying the foundation stone for the Nhava Sheva (India) Gateway Terminal. "The new development would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment of the Government of India to India's trade community. "As the busiest gateway and hub in India, Nhava Sheva has been constrained in the past by lack of facilities, which has impacted trade. We at DP World are proud to bring new capacity to this vibrant city and the fast growing economy of India. "The new terminal will serve India for generations to come and help speed goods to market, stimulating trade, contributing to economic growth, which in turn contributes to the development of communities and individuals." Anil Singh, senior vice president and managing director, DP World Subcontinent added: "For the last five years, India's premier port has been in critical need of capacity with container trade rising. "The building of greater capacity is part of the port's long term vision. Nhava Sheva (India) Gateway Terminal will provide the immediate relief that the trade community urgently requires and we at DP World are fast tracking the project to commence operations as early in 2015 as possible and we have already placed the order for the cranes that will be installed." DP World said that with one of the strongest emerging economies in the world, and a burgeoning middle class population, India offers immense potential for growth. DP World has a portfolio of more than 65 marine terminals across six continents, including new developments underway in India, Africa, Europe, South America and the Middle East. Container handling is the company's core business and generates more than three quarters of its revenue. In 2013, DP World handled more than 55 million TEU. With its committed pipeline of developments and expansions, capacity is expected to rise to more than 100 million TEU by 2020, in line with market demand.

5837 Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is to install 17,500 solar photovoltaic water pumps across the country. Each pump will use multi or mono crystalline modules, to power 1800W or 5000W peak power arrays for each solar pump. SunEdison launched a PV water pump for the Indian market at the end of 2013. The states to receive the solar powered pumps include Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Utter Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar. States have to pay 15% of the project cost and submit a monthly progress report. The pumps are being used to boost irrigation, with INR299 crore funding to improve irrigation from the National Clean Energy Fund (NCEF), of which INR997 crore (US$163 million) will be used to install the solar water pumps across the eight states in India. The ministry will provide 30% of the project cost as a subsidy. The NCEF is part of the 2010-2011 environment budgets by the Government of India, funding is partly from a levy applied to coal (domestic and imported) of INR50 per tonne, to try and mitigate for alarming levels of pollution. Responsibility for managing the project will lie with each state’s renewable energy development agency – there is an open tender for each agency to apply however all pumps have to meet an MNRE standard. Training is also to be provided by MNRE selected manufacturers.

5836 Vikram Solar, the manufactures photovoltaic (PV) solar modules has tied up with McLeod Russel India Limited for the execution of 100 Kw Off-Grid Solar Power Project at Attareekhat Tea Estate, Tangla, Assam. The project is expected to become operational by April this year. This solar system with battery back-up has received 30 per cent subsidy from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India. The company is in talks with various tea estates in Assam and West Bengal for installing solar facility. K.K. Baheti, chief financial officer of Mcleod Russel India Ltd "We are doing solar project in one of the tea gardens and will see how this shapes up."

5835 We are going for the second phase expansion soon and IOC is supporting the cause in a big way. They (IOC) have offered Rs 66 crore in phases toward the project. We hope to complete the expansion over the next 24 months," Tata Medical Center Deputy Director V R Ramanan said. IOC has disbursed Rs 14 crore toward the expansion for 250 beds and state-of the-art cancer care medical equipment. "The total estimated cost for the second phase is Rs 200 crore," CFO S K Agarwal said. Tata Medical Center, the only super speciality cancer hospital in eastern India offered affordable oncology treatment. It opened 30 months ago and is funded and managed by trusts under the Tata group. "We are offering treatment and diagnostics at an average price which is around 40 percent lower. Our business model offers free and subsidised cost to 50 percent patients," hospital Senior Medical Administrator Aseem Mahajan said. Ramanan said the hospital wanted more corporate assistance. It is facing a deficit of Rs 1 crore a month for running the 165-bed first phase built at a cost of Rs 350 crore. SBI has offered the single largest CSR exposure of Rs 6 crore for part funding a PET-CT scan machine to the hospital. SBI chairperson Arundhati Bhattacharya on her first visit to city toured the hospital and expressed her intention of continuing support to such initiatives.

5834 Delta Corp Ltd announced the launch of ‘The Deltin’, a 176-room property that will become the region’s largest destination for gaming and hospitality.The Deltin is the latest offering from Delta Corp Ltd following the recent launch of Deltin Royale, India’s offshore gaming vessel in Goa. It is also Delta Corp’s largest hospitality project in India to date. Delta Corp also proposed to operate an in-house casino spread over 60,000 sq ft. The company is in the process of getting a 5-star certification for the hotel, and will subsequently commence casino operations.“The opening of The Deltin is a milestone for us and underlines our efforts to provide luxurious yet accessible gaming and hospitality destinations in the country. I am confident that it will reshape the face of the industry in India,” said Jaydev Mody, Chairman, Delta Corp Ltd. The property will provide luxury suites, four gourmet restaurants, three bars, 8,000 sq ft of high-end retail, a luxury spa, and multiple banqueting facilities.Each room in the hotel is equipped with luxury amenities, including 40” HD TVs, HD satellite programming, mini-bar, high-speed Internet connectivity, in-room safes, 24x7 room service, and early check-in options, among other facilities. The hotel also boasts of the Emperor Restaurant (Asian Cuisine), Vegas (multi-cuisine), Whiskys (VIP Lounge with an exclusive collection of single malts), The Poolside Bar (Bar and Mediterranean style Grill and Barbecue), The Juice Bar (health drinks and fresh juices), and The Cake Shop, among others. The Deltin will also provide about 30,000 sq ft of MICE space catering to large events such as corporate conferences and weddings. The banqueting division will cater to large and small group events, ranging from 20 to 2,000 persons, all equipped with a range of amenities.

5833 Sadbhav Engineering has won a Rs 140-crore project in Odisha for widening a highway stretch. "Our company has been awarded the project by the Chief Engineer, Roads, Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, for a aggregating value of Rs 139.5 crore," The company said the project pertains to widening and strengthening of Raj-Athagarh-Narsinghpur Road to two-lane under State Highways Development Project on engineering, procurement and construction basis. "The construction period is 24 months and the defect liability period is 24 months for the project highway and 60 months for any structures and major bridges from the date of provisional certificate of completion," it added. It said the maintenance period for the highway is for 24 months from the date of completion.

5832 Daimler India Commercial Vehicles Pvt. Ltd. (DICV) today celebrated the foundation stone laying ceremony of its new Bus plant at the DICV’s manufacturing facility located in Oragadam, near Chennai. Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler AG Board member, responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses, laid the foundation stone for the new bus plant in the presence of Mr. Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses and CEO EvoBus GmbH, Mr. Marc Llistosella, Managing Director & CEO, DICV, Mr. Markus Villinger, Head, Daimler Buses, India, a host of Indian and International media, Dealers, Suppliers and DICV personnel. Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, Daimler AG Board member responsible for Daimler Trucks & Buses, said, “On the basis of our strong truck business, we are now pressing ahead on the Indian bus market. For that purpose, we are consistently using existing suppliers, our production site and our sales network in India.” The new Bus manufacturing plant is spread across an area of 27.91 acres will be constructed within the existing premises of DICV. The bus plant will manufacture and assemble buses under the Mercedes-Benz and BharatBenz brands and will be completed by 2nd Quarter 2015. The DICV plant in Oragadam will thus be the only Daimler Truck plant worldwide, that manufactures three brands of Trucks and Buses, as well as engines under one roof. Daimler India buses will be offered in 9t, 16t and above 16t categories in both front and rear engine configurations. An investment of INR 425 Cr has been earmarked for the bus project in India for an installed capacity of 1500 units in the initial phase. The capacity can be further expanded to 4000 units subsequently. Mr. Hartmut Schick, Head of Daimler Buses and CEO, EvoBus GmbH, said, “Our two-fold strategy with BharatBenz and Mercedes-Benz buses allows us to cater to the different needs of Indian customers in a perfect way. In terms of safety, fuel efficiency, quality, and comfort, both brands will set new standards in the Indian bus sector.” Daimler India has partnered with M/s.Wrightbus, a leading global player in bus body building, for its front-engined buses. The state-of-the-art bus body building facility will be part of the new bus plant. The bus body will be superior in terms of technology and reliability meeting Daimler global standards of quality and efficiency. Mr. Marc Llistosella, Managing Director and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, “We, at DICV, are extremely proud and confident about this new beginning. Since inception, we have delivered on all our promises for the Indian market, and we are continuously achieving new milestones. BharatBenz, having already achieved the No.4 position in trucks in India, has now become the preferred brand for most of the truck customers, thanks to its high performance products backed by best-in-class service levels. I am confident that the new bus project will continue to deliver same level of promise and experience to the customer.” Mr. Markus Villinger, Head, Daimler Buses, India, addressed the gathering and mentioned that the new Bus plant would roll out the first buses by 2nd Quarter 2015. He also mentioned that the Bus division would have a dedicated strength of 300 personnel besides using the synergies of DICV’s existing expertise. In April 2013, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) consolidated commercial vehicle operations in India by integrating Mercedes-Benz Buses business into its operations. Subsequently, the Marketing, Sales & Service of Mercedes-Benz buses were aligned to the marketing function of DICV in line with Daimler’s global practice to ensure better synergies in business verticals. The existing and upcoming Dealership network of DICV which caters to the BharatBenz range of trucks will also participate in the Daimler Bus business. The well-established and state-of-the-art dealerships will enhance the confidence of Indian customers. The network will ensure that every Bus customer is treated to an international service experience.

5831 Vascon Engineers Ltd. had recently obtained contracts aggregating to around Rs.245 crore. UP Housing and Development Board, Lucknow, had placed an order for Rs.130 crore for construction of multistoried flats at Lucknow, whereas Sheth Creators Pvt. Ltd., had awarded a contract for Rs.115 crore for construction of residential building at Mumbai.

5830 Coal India Ltd, the world's largest coal miner, plans to set up a 1.6 gigawatt power plant by 2015/16 near one of its mines from which coal cannot be shipped and sold due to a lack of rail connections, a company executive said. The company has often said its output would be 300 million tonnes more than the current figure of about 475 million given enough rail tracks to carry the fuel from new and remote mines. Insufficient connectivity is one of the reasons the company has lagged output targets for more than six straight years - leading to shortages at power producers and crippling outages. "The country either needs coal or power," said CB Sood, an executive director at the company. "If we are not able to evacuate coal, we should set up pit-head power plants." Speaking on the sidelines of a coal conference in the resort state of Goa, Sood said the company was seeking a joint venture partner to set up the plant. Coal India has already received some clearances and more are likely, he added. The plant will be near a mine that produces 20 million tonnes per year in the eastern state of Odisha. "Pit-head power plants make a lot of sense for the country," said Niladri Bhattacharjee, a resources expert with KPMG Advisory Services. "Power tariffs will reduce by at least 50 paisa per kilowatt hour compared with conventional plants due to savings on transportation and other costs."

5829 HBL is implementing the ambitious Rs 594 crore Integrated Vaccine Complex (IVC) on a 100-acre land in Chengalpettu of Kanchipuram district. Once fully operational, the IVC is expected to generate approximately 500 employment opportunities. An MoU which was inked in the presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa last weekend in Chennai envisages Tamil Nadu Government’s full support for the project. “We have floated a subsidiary company HLL Biotech Ltd for implementing this project. Construction of the project is in full swing and products from this facility will be ready for trial in another 18 months,” said M Ayyappan, Chairman & Managing Director after the MoU signing ceremony with TN Government. HBL, with an annual capacity of 585 Mn doses, will manufacture pentavalent combination (DPT plus Hep B plus Hib), BCG, Measles, Hepatitis B, Human Rabies, Hib and Japanese Encephalitis (JE) vaccines in the first phase. HBL also seeks to develop a strong R&D base for development of futuristic vaccines, apart from manufacturing and supplying vaccines required for the Universal Immunisation Programme (UIP) of India. Ayyappan said that the vaccine manufacturing was the latest and the biggest expansion HLL had in the recent past. “The main objective of HBL is to ensure safe and effective vaccines at affordable prices and ensure the vaccine security to the nation,” M Ayyappan said. Tamil Nadu Government is assuring various incentives and concessions for this project, besides infrastructure support. The state-of-the-art WHO-pre-qualified facility, the first of its kind in the public sector, will also have the capacity to manufacture futuristic meningococcal, rotaviral, dengue and pneumococcal vaccines in its multi-bacterial and multi-viral facilities to address any epidemic or pandemic situations. The Central Government has also entrusted HLL with the task of revamping BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin) Vaccine Laboratory at Guindy in Chennai and Pasteur Institute of India at Coonoor, also in Tamil Nadu.

5828 A detailed project report for extending the first phase of the Kochi Metro Rail project to Tripunithura is expected by May even as the Cabinet gave its nod for the project on Wednesday. Approvals pending A detailed study in this regard is being conducted by the Rail India Technical and Economic Services (RITES). While the Cabinet had given its approval to the preliminary report on the first phase extension, approvals from the central Public Investment Board and the ministerial-level high-power committee are pending. Efforts for securing these approvals would be initiated shortly. Initially, the metro rail was proposed from Aluva to Pettah. Now it is being proposed up to SN Junction in Tripunithura at an investment of Rs. 323 crore. There would be two stations at Tripunithura – Alliance Junction and SN Junction. Demand for extension of Metro to Tripunithura has been there from the very beginning. The benefits of Kochi Metro would reach larger segments of passengers with the extension. Besides, more space for metro station and related facilities are available at Tripunithura compared to Pettah. Delhi Metro Rail Corporation had pointed out the possibilities of extending the project up to Tripunithura at the launch of the construction work itself. Organisations including resident’s associations had organised protests demanding the extension of the project.

5827 The Centre has approved three projects -the renewal of the iconic Tala tank in north Kolkata, augmentation of Uluberia water supply scheme and solid waste management scheme of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), official sources said here today. The Cental Sanctioning and Monitoring Committee (CSMC) of the union ministry of urban development at a meeting in New Delhi, a day before the announcement of the poll schedule by the Election Commission, approved the three projects worth around Rs 266 crore for West Bengal, the sources said. The Tala Tank is an iconic structure in north Kolkata . It has a capacity of 41 million litres (9 mgd). It was commissioned in 1911, but is still providing service to an estimated 36 lakh population. Its area is 98m x 98m, depth is 5.5m. Due to ageing, some deformation is happening and some leakages are also noticed. The CSMC technical experts described the tank as unique and the sources said the approved project cost for its renovation is Rs 67.81 crore. The project will be executed by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC). The 10 mgd water treatment plant at Uluberia was commissioned under JNNURM but was inadequate in meeting the local demand. To increase the capacity to 18 mgd, this project is being augmented again under JNNURM at a cost of Rs 46 crore. The implementing agency will be Kolkata Metropolitan Water and Sanitation Auhtorities. The KMC's Solid Waste Management project with compactors was approved by CSMC at a cost of Rs 153 crore. The project envisages 163 stationary compactors and 200 movable compactors. There will be a compost plants, transfer stations and modern mechanical transporters. The project will use 20 acres in New Town that has been recently earmarked for the project. KMC will implement the project, the sources added.

5826 Era Infra Engineering (EIEL) has secured contracts worth Rs 128 crore in Maharashtra from Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation (MRVCL) for escalators and other provisions at some stations in Mumbai. "EIEL, an integrated infrastructure company with pan-India presence has been awarded a contract valuing Rs 127.87 crore by MRVCL," the company said in a filing with the BSE. The contracts have been awarded for "procurement of trespassing control measures, including provisions of escalators" at Mumbai stations, it added. The company said the contracts including Rs 30 crore award for such measures at Thakurli and Kalyan stations, Rs 60 crore for Kurla and Dadar stations and Rs 37 crore for Bhayander, Vasai Road and Nallasopara stations.

5825 IRB Infrastructure today said it has started work on two road projects in Karnataka and Maharashtra, which entail a cost of Rs 4,139 crore. The Rs 2,639-crore scheme for four-laning of a highway in Karnataka and the Rs 1,500-crore road widening project in Maharashtra are being implemented by company's wholly-owned subsidiaries, IRB Infrastructure said in a filing to the BSE. "IRB Westcoast Tollway Pvt Ltd, has now received appointed date from NHAI in terms of the concession agreement for the project of four laning of Goa/Karnataka border to Kundapur section of NH-17 in Karnataka under NHDP phase IV." The SPV, it said has commenced construction on the project on design, build, finance, operate and transfer (DBFOT) toll basis. It said it has sought Rs 536 crore from NHAI as viability gap funding for the Rs 2,639-crore project with a concession period of 28 years and construction period of 910 days. The company has achieved financial closure and tied up project finance of Rs 1,406 crore from a consortium of public sector banks, it added. "Solapur Yedeshi Tollway Pvt Ltd, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the company, has now executed concession agreement with NHAI for the project of four laning of Solapur to Yedeshi section of NH-211 in Maharashtra under NHDP Phase IV on DBFOT (Toll) basis. It added that the company has sought Rs 189 crore as viability gap funding from NHAI for the 1,500-crore project with a concession period of 29 years and construction period of 910 Days.

5824 ALSTOM India Ltd has informed BSE that Alstom has been awarded a contract worth approximately INR 6790 million by Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) to supply two 800 MW supercritical boilers for Darlipalli super thermal power project (STPP) located in Sundergarh, in the State of Odisha (India). This project forms part of NTPC Limited''s Bulk 800 MW tender. Under the scope of the contract, Alstom - the sole licensor for BHEL supercritical technology - will design the 800 MW supercritical boilers and supply identified pressure parts along with windboxes, pulverizers and airpreheater components. The Group will also assist BHEL with technical advisors during the erection and commissioning of the units. Key components will be manufactured in Alstom''s facilities in Concordia and Wellsville, USA, as well as in Durgapur and Shahabad, India. The units are expected to be commissioned starting in 2017. Out of the entire aforesaid contract, please note that ALSTOM India Limited''s scope of work would be approximately INR 3798 million In this regard, the Company has issued a Press Release dated March 05, 2014 titled "Alstom concludes contract with BHEL to supply 2x800 MW supercritical boilers components for NTPC''s Darlipalli coal power plant"

5823 Passavant-Roediger GmbH, a wholly owned German subsidiary of Drake & Scull International (DSI) PJSC, announced that it has been awarded two major contracts for a combined value of Rs. 83Crs. for water and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) in India. The new projects will help the company to consolidate its position in the growing water and wastewater treatment (WWTP) sector in the country. Passavant’s parent company DSI already has a significant presence in India where it has delivered projects in the energy sector and is currently working on the New Cuffe Parade development and the Lodha World Crest Tower in Mumbai, besides a Coal Conveyor project in Odisha. Under the terms of the first contract, Passavant-Roediger will undertake the work for Ford India at their new Vehicle and Engine Assembly Plant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The company will be responsible for design, engineering, supply, installation and commissioning of all mechanical and electrical works for an Effluent Treatment Plant which has a design capacity of handling 8 million litres of river water per day (8000 cubic meters per day), and a state of the art wastewater treatment plant of capacity 4500 cubic meters per day. The plants will make the river water fit for drinking and firefighting purposes as well as for automobile manufacturing. The waste sludge from the water treatment plant as well as sanitary wastewater and process wastewater from the manufacturing plants will be pumped to the wastewater treatment plant which will recycle the wastewater back into the automotive production as well as irrigation for agriculture, and will feature a Zero Liquid Discharge Processing Unit, a second of its kind for Passavant. The company has previously delivered a Zero Liquid Discharge unit in its pioneering Saida (Lebanon) Domestic Waste Treatment plant, which processes over 300 tons of mixed domestic waste daily, converting it to energy through biogas, the first project of this nature in the Middle East. The second contract, awarded by the Rajasthan Government, will see the company undertake complete testing and commissioning of 80 kilometers of sewer system and all ancillary works, including construction of manholes sewage pump houses and rising main and property connections in the town of Nathdwara. The scope of work also includes 10-year operation and maintenance of all civil, mechanical, electrical and automation works for the sewer system as well as the sewage pumping station. Dr. Mazen Bachir, Managing Director, Passavant-Roediger, said: “We are delighted to have secured major projects in India, which we see as one of our key emerging markets for water and wastewater management. Our patented in house technologies have proved their capabilities in various Water and Wastewater treatment projects across Europe, MENA and Asia. We are keen to offer our world class services to India, where state and central governments have recognized the importance of water treatment, as well as the absence of world class water treatment facilities in most states in the country. We see tremendous potential and opportunities in this market and we will continue to pursue our strategy to establish a greater presence in the growing Indian market and utilise DSI’s existing resources, personnel and network of offices to secure projects across India.” Passavant-Roediger is a leading German developer of wastewater, water and sludge treatment technologies, with operations across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The company delivers comprehensive in-house solutions for the design, supply, build, operations and maintenance, wastewater and water treatment facilities and is one of the leading Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC), Wastewater and Water Treatment (WWT) and Re-Use Design and Build Contractors Worldwide. DSI acquired Passavant-Roediger in 2009 to enhance its capabilities in the region’s water and wastewater sector.

5822 The Karnataka State is planning to set up two new thermal power plants to address the increasing demand for power in the coming years. Disclosing this to presspersons on Tuesday on the sidelines of a programme here to sign agreements for buying 892 MW of power from the Kudankulam nuclear power plant and the Damodar Valley Corporation of India, Minister fro Energy D.K. Shivakumar said the government was trying to identify land to set up the proposed power plants. “We have a list of land available in various regions from the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board. We are looking at feasibility in terms of availability of both water and land,” he said. He said that the Union government had given a positive assurance to the State on providing coal linkage, if the latter submitted the proposal on the thermal power plants. “We are trying to use this opportunity to set up the new power plants to increase the State’s installed power capacity,” he said. He said in addition to allotting a coal block in Odisha for the proposed 1,320 MW thermal power project in Gulbarga, the Union government had advised the State to take up Phase II of the project. However, there was a shortage of about 300 acres for Phase II of the project. The State would acquire the required land, he said. The Minister said that the Union government had directed Coal India to allot coal on preferential basis for the third generating unit of the Bellary Thermal Power Station with a capacity of 800 MW. The Ministry of Power has also recommended to the Coal Ministry that coal linkage be provided for the second generating unit at the Yermarus thermal power plant. With this, both these plants would be set up within the deadline, he noted.

5821 CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday laid the foundation of Rs 391.48-crore, 1.7km-long project for the construction of flyover, underpass and elevated path from Lalit Bhavan to Boring Road turning on Baily Road. Scheduled to be completed in two years, the project is expected to ease traffic movement on this stretch. An MoU has been signed with the Foundation for Innovative Technology Transfer, an offshoot of IIT, Delhi. Speaking on this occasion, the CM said new and unique techniques are being adopted for this innovative project. Due to existing constructions, some roads cannot be widened further, he said, adding after the upcoming international museum is opened on March 22, 2015, the traffic flow will further increase. RCD secretary Pratyaya Amrit promised that part of the project facing the international museum will be completed by April 2015 and the rest in two years. For this project, to be executed by the Bihar Rajya Pul Nirman Nigam (BRPNN), solutions like swap-based traffic interchange (SBTI) and grade-separated U-turn interchange (GSUI) are among the techniques being used. Multi underpass, flyover, elevated section, U-girder, extra-dosed cable stayed structure, pavement, finished pedestrian crossing, software control solar light, landscaping and integrated drainage system will be constructed under the project. The CM suggested that before starting construction on the project, traffic flow be diverted through South Baily Road and Serpentine Road for buses and four-wheelers. He directed that the RCD, urban development department and other stakeholders sit together to find out a way for diversion of traffic. Nigam chairman Sanjiv Hans said the BRPNN, which has constructed over 1250 small and big bridges in the last eight years, is today a self-sustained organization. He said in collaboration with the FITT and IIT-Delhi, the Nigam has received proposals for traffic solution on identified roads by PWD Delhi and Ghaziabad Development Authority. Once approved, the Nigam will get its first job outside the state.

5820 Maharashtra government is awaiting a final approval of the revised design of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, official sources said here today. Guardian minister of Mumbai city Jayant Patil told reporters that presentation of the revised design of the Shivaji statue project was made before the Union minister for Environment and Forests R Veerappa Moily last week. Patil, who is also the head of the committee appointed for the project, said that interim reports of surveys and studies conducted to assess the impact on environment, the wind tunnel effect, coastal modelling and tidal behaviour have been submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Forests for clearance. He said that the project needs two and half years to complete and start of work depended on the Centre's clearance. Speaking to reporters after presentation of the revised design at the press conference, Patil said. "Though the final cost of the project has not been worked out, it's likely to be approximately Rs 1,400 crore. The cost depends on the material and the design we choose for the ambitious project," he said. "The presentation of the new design, which was prepared by the JJ School of Architecture, has been made before the Union Minister for Environment and Forests M Veerappa Moily last week. We have requested the central government to exempt the project from CRZ IV category," he said. The minister claimed that studies conducted by the National Environment Engineering Research Institute and the National Institute of Oceanography have stated that there would be be no adverse impact on the environment or ecology.

5819 Maharashtra State Power Generation Company, the power generation company controlled by the State Government, has decided to partner Welspun Energy Ltd in a 50 MW solar power project near Baramati, Pune district. Welspun will develop the project on a revenue sharing basis for 25 years with Maharashtra State Power Generation Company (Mahagenco). It will get 38.75 per cent revenue share at an annual capacity utilisation factor of 19 per cent. Mahagenco will invest Rs 150 crore for the plant. Financial assistance for the project will be provided through a soft loan from KFW Bank of Germany. The balance finance will be shared by Welspun Energy Ltd. A press statement issued by Mahagenco said Welspun would be fully responsible for part-finance, design, and commissioning of this grid interactive solar power. In the first phase, a 36 MW solar plant would be installed on 74 hectares of Government land, which has already been acquired by Mahagenco. The remaining capacity will be installed at the same terms and conditions after acquiring 30 hectares of land required for the project.

5818 Sayaji Hotels, is all set to launch a new brand of hotels for business travellers. This new brand of hotels would be called the 'Effotel- by Sayaji'. The first hotel under this new brand will launch at Indore. Hitesh Varma, CEO - business hotels, Sayaji Hotels, said, “MICE tourism is increasing in the country. It is the right time to think about opening affordable business hotels. We have plans to diversify into the business segment, and will be launching a new range of business hotels. This new range of hotels will be called 'Effotel- by Sayaji', to denote an 'efficient hotel'. The first hotel will be launched in Indore.” Meanwhile, Sayaji group which owns the famous restaurant chain 'Barbeque Nation', has plans to go international. Varma informed, “We will be starting our first Barbeque nation in middle east, Australia and New Zealand. And also increase the number of Barbeque Nations in India by around 6 to 8 more outlets. We are also planning to take our other signature restaurants like Mediterra and Chopstick City outside Indore and open new outlets in Mumbai and Pune.” Apart from the new brand, Sayaji is also launching a new property in Kolhapur. The Sayaji Kolhapur will be fully operational by June 2014.

5817 In a move to upgrade industrial infrastructure, the Haryana government will be setting up Composite Logistics Hub at different places in the state. These hubs will be equipped with modern warehouses, rail side warehouses, silos and bonded warehouses. The hubs will also have inland container depot and are being promoted by the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation (HSWC), to be developed in PPP mode at existing and new locations. Towards this, HWC has invited proposals from experienced consultancy firms to prepare a comprehensive project report, techno-economic feasibility report, bid document and agreement for creation of the hub. The corporation is committed to meeting the storage and warehousing needs of agriculture, trade, industry and export-import sectors in the entire state. It has developed the technical capability as well as the requisite financial resilience to take up mammoth projects with its internal resources. HWC scores very high on all parameters of quality scientific storage in over 50 commodities. Commodity specific preservation measures are adopted both in design of warehouses and the storage services

5816 he Gujarat Government has announced plans to develop an integrated waste management programme for 60 of its urban local bodies (ULB) of the state. The project will be implemented by Gujarat Urban Development Company Limited (GUDC) which has plans to address and manage both solid and liquid waste. The move is to address failure of state ULBs to comply with the order which makes it mandatory for scientific treatment and disposal of solid waste, owing to lack of finance and technical assistance. The data for waste characterization and waste quantities for each of the ULBs have already been gathered through the state level consultants. Needless to say, rapid development of the State has resulted into a sharp increase in water demand and the most accessible water resources, such as rivers and shallow aquifers are now almost entirely committed. Alternative water resources are therefore imperative to meet with the ever increasing demand. With the increase of water usage, the volume of sewage also increases and safe disposal of sewage has become a cause of concern. The appropriate reuse of treated sewage is the obvious and eminent solution. It is the most preferred approach as many parts in the State are not having suitable surface water sources. If wastewater reuse is exercised properly, the benefits that can be reaped are great and will far outweigh any associated costs. To achieve this concept, eco-friendly, viable and integrated system of waste management is required. In this regard, GUDC has invited bids from parties to handle the project. GUDC is positioned to facilitate urban development by assisting state government and existing agencies in formulation of policy, institutional capacity building and project implementation and to assist in the funding and implementation of projects. It facilitates sustainable development of urban areas, both new and existing, in order to achieve high living standards and growth of economic activities

5815 The Assam Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC) will be developing a multi-speciality health institute on public -private-partnership mode. The project will come up at village Amerigog, east of Guwahati. The corporation has decided to develop the land parcel available for commercial utilisation through development of a multi-speciality health institute. In this context, AIDC has invited proposals from investors, developers and operators having experience in developing such infrastructure projects. Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation is established for the purpose of securing and assisting in the rapid and orderly establishment and organization of industries in industrial areas, industrial estates, growth centres, IIDC centres and in establishment of commercial estate for growth of industries in the state of Assam

5814 Senior officials from the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India's MNRE for the implementation of 7.5 GW worth of solar power projects. During a high-level meeting chaired by MNRE Union minister Farooq Abdullah, the MoU agreement gave the green light for a planned 5 GW capacity solar project in Ladakh and a proposed 2.5 GW project in Kargil. The MoU was the result of a committed continuance of Indian government support for state-led initiatives, said Abdullah, who waxed lyrical on the solar potential of both regions mentioned in the draft. Ladakh, said the minister, could quite easily add 30 GW of solar PV capacity, with this MoU the first step on a long path towards a clean and green future. The region is located in India's Himalayas and enjoys stable levels of high irradiance and an abundance of available land. Abdullah also revealed how the government has thrown its weight behind various smaller solar PV projects in Kashmir and Jammu in an attempt to aid the country's National Solar Mission.

5813 Larsen and Toubro has been awarded a contract to build a new four-lane bridge across Narmada river at Zadeshwar about 90 km away from here by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which will be ready within 30 months, a senior NHAI official said today. "L&T was awarded this contract, after Hindustan construction company (HCC) failed to abide by the tender condition. After failure of HCC, five companies including L&T bid for it after inviting tenders for this project," P R Patelia, chief general manager, NHAI, told PTI here. The total cost of the project, including construction of the bridge is Rs 379 crore, he added. The entire project approved by the cabinet committee on economic affairs includes six laning of the Vadodra-Surat section of National Highway-8 including construction of a new four lane extra dosed bridge across the Narmada River and two eight lane flyovers from Jhagadia and Bharuch city under the NHDP Phase V. L&T has earlier on February28 said in a BSE filing that "a major EPC order has been received from National Highways Authority of India for construction of a new four lane extra dosed heavy bridge across the Narmada and six laning of a portion of Vadodara-Surat section of NH-8 in Gujarat." The project is covered in the district of Bharuch. The cost of the entire project was higher earlier as it was to be constructed under BOOT (built, own, operate and transfer) model where HCC was recuired to raise fund from its own sources. Later, NHAI decided to construct it from its own fund and that is why the cost of the project has gone down, Patelia said.

5812 The Union Ministry of Urban Development has approved Rs 66.68 crore road and drain projects for Hojai and Lanka in Assam under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Town (UIDSSMT). This was informed by Union Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath in a letter to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, official sources said heree today. The Union Minister asked the Department of Expenditure, union Ministry of Finance to release the funds to the Assam Government for the projects. The project cost for roads and drains for Hojai and Lanka has been approved at Rs 37.74 crore and Rs 28.93 crore, respectively, the sources said.

5811 GPT Infraprojects, the flagship company of the GPT Group, has bagged order worth Rs 100Crs. from Government of West Bengal, North Bengal Development Department, West Bengal. This order is for construction of bridge over the river Fulahar at Manikchak Bhutnichar connection on Sankaritola Ghat at block of Malad district, West Bengal. The completion period of this project is 730 days.

5810 A consortium led by GMR Infrastructure Ltd has won construction package of rail line doubling between Jhansi and Bhimsen stations in Uttar Pradesh. The total contract is valued at about Rs 267 crore of which GMR’s share of work is about Rs 135 crore. The work includes construction of roadbed, major and minor bridges and track linking. The other members of the consortium include Tata Projects and Kalindee Rail Nirman Ltd. The project is scheduled to commence from April 2014 and duration for completion of the project is 42 months. Arun Kumar Sharma, CEO GMR Urban Infrastructure & Highways, said : “As a part of our asset light strategy, we are very happy to announce our foray into the very promising railway construction sector."

5809 Hyderabad-based infrastructure company IVRCL Ltd stated that it had bagged orders worth Rs 2,632.85 crore from the state governments of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. The irrigation segment works include civil works for the Yettinahole turnkey project under packages-II, III and V from the Karnataka Neeravari Nigam Limited (KNNL) for Rs 685.80 crore, Rs 1,135 crore and Rs 543.28 crore respectively. The duration for the completion of projects is 36 months. It also secured contract worth Rs 101.19 crore for the construction of lift irrigation scheme (Herkal LIS) on Ghataprabha river in Karnataka's Bagalkot district, Rs 26.70 crore worth civil works order, both from the Krishna Bhagya Jala Nigam Ltd. These would be completed in 24 months. In Andhra Pradesh, the company's water division bagged the Chittoor district drinking water supply project worth Rs 140.85 crore. The completion period is 18 months.

5808 Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) has designed a project in which electricity will be generated through methane gas emanating out of sewage treatment plants proposed to be set up at Raiyadhar and Bedigam. RMC commissioner Ajay Bhadoo told reporters that the plants in Raiyadhar and Bedigam will be of the capacity of 56 MLD and 76 MLD respectively. "Both the plants are expected to cost Rs 86 crore. The cost of these plants is higher because they will be completely computerized. SBI computer technology has a better efficiency in purifying underground water than the ordinary sewage treatment plant. The purified water then can be given to industrial units and agriculture sector for use," Bhadoo explained.

5807 Central transmission utility Power Grid Corporation today announced investments of over Rs 575 crore for two projects. "Board of directors of the company have approved the investment approval for Eastern Region Strengthening Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs 196.58 crore, with commissioning schedule of 24 months from the date of investment approval," Power Grid Corp said in a stock exchange filing. The company approved an investment of Rs 378.71 crore for setting up a transmission system associated with the Kakrapar Atomic Power Project, with a commissioning schedule of 32 months. The state-owned firm plans to invest more than Rs 61,000 crore in the next three financial years, with a significant chunk of funds to be raised by way of bonds and debentures. Of the total amount, the company may raise Rs 37,641 crore through bonds or debentures and Rs 7,770 crore through multilateral funding or external commercial borrowings.

5806 With the Model Code of Conduct likely to come into force soon, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today launched a number of infrastructure projects worth over Rs 1,700 crore in the state. Akhilesh dedicated to public over 1,800 government tubewells under the Ram Manohar Lohia New Tubewell Project, and six projects of housing, urban development and tourism departments in Agra. The Model Code of Conduct will come into force the moment the Lok Sabha election schedule is announced by the Election Commission, which is likely sometime this week. Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the state government has also prepared a detailed programme to connect all district headquarters with four lane roads. Chief Secretary Javed Usmani said that of the schemes launched today, Rs 307 crore was being spent on setting up of 1,820 government tubewells. And, 27 important roads with a combined length of 541 kms would be widened and strengthened by the PWD department with a cost of Rs 980 crore, he added. Akhilesh also announced to shift the Gomti Barrage at Lucknow and construct a new one in Rampur. Irrigation and PWD Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav said that under the irrigation system in UP, 72,000 acres of area was being irrigated by 74,000-km long canal system. The PWD minister said 3,000 new tubewells would be installed in the next three years and irrigation schemes have been launched in Bundelkhand region, which is often affected by drought. Usmani said the foundation stone of Agra inner ring road project has also been laid. He said the 11-km ring road between Uberpur and Fatehabad would be constructed by Agra Development Authority with a cost of Rs 306 crore. In addition to this he said the beautification and development of Tajganj area would be done with a cost of Rs 108 crore.

5805 Tata Housing today said it will invest Rs 1,200 crore over the next five years on developing 13 housing projects for senior citizens. Tata Housing - a subsidiary of Tata Sons - has already launched the first project 'Riva Residences' in Bangalore and will now expand presence in the senior living segment by taking the concept to eight more cities. "There are 98 million people of 60 years and more in India and this number is going to double by 2030. Homes for senior citizens will be a very good and viable market for real estate developers," Tata Housing Managing Director and CEO Brotin Banerjee told reporters here. Stating that the company received good response for its first senior living project in Bangalore, he said the company has decided to expand in this segment by adding more projects in its ongoing and future townships. "We will be investing Rs 1,000-1,200 crore by 2018 to develop 13 projects across 8 cities," he said, adding that people of 55 years and above can only reside in these projects. Noting that the market size of retirement homes is poised to reach Rs 4,000 crore by 2018, he said that "we are targeting to capture 25 per cent of the total market size of 2018". These projects would be in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, National Capital Region and Pune. Banerjee said the company would construct 1,500-2,000 retirement homes in these 13 projects. Elaborating on Riva Residences, he said the company has tied up with Apollo for health services. Tata Capital, Central Bank and Axis bank have been roped in for providing loans to potential customers. Tata Housing is currently developing 70 million sq ft of area and an additional 19 million sq ft is in pipeline.