Chinese firms keen on Indian road projects

Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in Indian road projects.

"Chinese companies have shown interest in investing in road projects in India," Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Jitin Prasada said in Lok Sabha today.

He added that highway projects are awarded on the basis of international competitive bidding in which companies from all countries, including China can participate.

Jiangsu Provincial Transportation Engineering Group Co. Ltd (JPTEC) in joint venture with Indian companies participated in the bidding for four projects -- Srinagar-Banihal, Udhampur-Ramban, Jammu-Udhampur and Piprakothi-Motihari-Raxaul.

The Minister said that security clearance has been obtained from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for engaging the Chinese firm in the awarded projects in Jammu & Kashmir and Bihar.

Meanwhile, last year, the government announced road projects worth Rs 10,000 crore for Jammu & Kashmir that include two strategic tunnels - Quazigund-Banihal and Chenani-Nashri - to provide all-weather connectivity to the state with the rest of the country.

The Banihal tunnel, part of the Quazigund-Banihal project on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, is one of the largest road tunnels in India and the first of its kind to be taken up on public-private-partnership mode.

Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has undertaken widening of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway under National Highway Development Project phase-II. Four of the mega projects - Jammu-Udhampur, Chenani-Nashri, Quazigund-Banihal and Srinagar-Banihal have been awarded on build operate transfer (BOT) basis.