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Construction News
Construction boost
Cement companies are making a beeline for Kutch to set up
units
Huge demand for cement in Gujarat's Kutch is expected to
lead to the setting up of cement plants in the next few years.
Thanks to easy availability of limestone in the region and
proximity to the coast cement companies are now making a beeline
for Kutch. Interestingly the state produces close to 18 million
tonnes or about 12 percent of the country's output. According
to latest reports as many as four cement manufacturing units
are being planned for Abdadsa and Lakhpat by companies such
as Deepak Cements & Chemicals, Gujarat Anjan Cement, ABG
Group and Sanghi Industries. While Sanghi Cements has a 3
MTPA capacity plant in Abadasa in Kutch, which it plans to
augment to 8 MTPA in three years, ABG Shipyard, which is diversifying
into cements, is putting up a 1.5 million tonne plant, while
Anjan Cements, recently acquired by the Jaypee Group, is also
expanding capacity. Ahmedabad-based Deepak Cement & Chemicals,
which has tied up with Dubai's ETA Ascon Group, is setting
up a 3.8 mtpa cement plant in two phases at the capital outlay
of Rs 1,300 crore. It has acquired the land and recently got
permission to carry out hydrographic survey to construct a
captive jetty near the cement plant site. Meanwhile Mexican
company Cemex SAB de CV, which is the world's third-largest
cement company based in Mexico, is learnt to be talks with
Deepak Cements and Chemicals for a possible acquisition of
the latter's operations in Kutch. Cemex, through its holding
company in Asia, Cemex Asia Holding, could buy the existing
plant and could also enter into a joint venture for the new
project. MoUs worth Rs 3,300 crore are being contemplated
during the Vibrant Gujarat 2007 investors summit and most
of the firms are now constructing jetties in the Gulf of Kutch
for exporting cement.
Bring out the lassi
India's longest access controlled expressway, KMP, has achieved
financial closure
KMP Expressways Ltd., the Special Purpose Vehicle promoted
by DS Constructions Limited with others, is executing the
prestigious Kundli- Manesar-Palwal expressways project (also
known as Western Peripheral Expressways) awarded by the Haryana
State Industrial and Infrastructural Development Corporation
(HSIIDC) on a build-operatetransfer (BOT) basis. The 135.6
km long, access controlled expressway project cost is Rs.1915
crore. The SPV has now announced the financial closure for
the project. The western peripheral expressway is the largest
expressway project in the country on Build Operate Transfer
(BOT) basis. Out of the total cost the SPV has tied up a debt
of Rs 1149 crore, through a consortium of 12 banks and financial
institutions led by IDBI Ltd. The arrangers for the debt are
SBI Capital Markets Ltd. and IDBI Ltd. The expressway will
provide high-speed link to Northern Haryana with its Southern
districts such as Sonipat, Jhajjar, Gurgaon & Faridabad,
thereby giving boost to the local economy. Work on the project
has already begun and is scheduled for completion by July
2009. More than 98 percent of the land has already been acquired
by HSIIDC and handed over to KMP Expressways Ltd. Required
permissions from various departments have been obtained/ are
being obtained. The execution of the project has been divided
into 3 packages of 45 km each to be supervised by a Senior
Project Manager. Earthwork and cross drainage work is in progress.
More than Rs 100 crore has already been invested into the
project by the concessionaire.
HS Kohli, Chairman, KMP Expressways Ltd. said, "KMP
Expressway project will match international standards of quality
infrastructure. We have deployed state-of-the-art equipment
with emphasis on aesthetics. We are confident that once completed,
the expressway will create a benchmark in the pleasure of
driving/ commuting experience for years to come."
Nagarjuna bags Rs 260 cr order
Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd has secured two new orders
worth Rs 260 crore. According to the company's notification
to the BSE this includes the Rs 202-crore order from Maharashtra
Airport Development Company Ltd for designing, and constructing
water supply and underground sewerage system at Nagpur. The
second order worth Rs 58 crore relates to rural electrification
works in Karnataka's Gulbarga district is on turnkey basis
under Rajeev Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yojana Scheme.
Sadbhav SREI JV bags contract
Sadbhav Engineering has been awarded a Rs 510 crore roads
contract in Madhya Pradesh. The project under North- South
Corridor (NIIDP Phase - II) is on Build Operate and Transfer
(Annuity) Basis is being done through a Joint Venture with
SREI Infrastructure Finance Ltd in the ratio of 51:49. The
Concession Period of the project is 20 years inclusive of
Construction period. The project involves upgrading to four
lane from Km 596/750 to Km 653/225 on National Highway No.
7 (NH-7).
Ah Taj!
The Jaypee Group (Jaiprakash Associates Limited) has invited
expressions of interest for construction of the Taj Expressway.
The expressway will connect the historical city of Agra with
Greater Noida and involves construction of 160 km long expressway
with six-lane access, with provision for eight lanes, through
the virgin area along the eastern bank of river Yamuna. The
road will considerably shorten the distance between New Delhi
and Agra, thereby reducing travel time. In addition to the
construction and operation of expressway a Ribbon Development
of 2500 Hectares of land at five or more locations along the
expressway for commercial, industrial, institutional and residential
and amusement purposes, will also be undertaken as an integral
part of the project. The company plans to develop such installations
to international standards with state of the art technology.
Coal Ministry plans emergency meeting
The Ministry of Coal has convened a meeting of the heads
of all coal companies to discuss problems relating to acquisition
of tribal land which limits open cast mining. The purpose
is to work out an action plan for the sector as per the recommendations
of the expert committee as outlined in the Integrated Energy
Policy. The areas to be discussed include full utilisation
of underground resources with emphasis on underground mining
and investment required, to role to be played by the domestic
coal sector to achieve energy security, ways to acquire overseas
coal properties, and to explore reasons for the current low
performance of Coal India Ltd (CIL) washeries.
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