R-Infra says it's now the largest infra project implementer

The Anil Dhirubhai Ambani (ADA) group’s Reliance Infrastructure (R-Infra) has opened two road projects worth Rs 760 crore in Tamil Nadu, the first infrastructure projects to become operational from its stable.

Lalit Jalan, chief executive of R-Infra, said the company would complete and operationalise another five road projects within the next 18 months.

Besides, R-Infra is currently implementing three metro and three power transmission projects, altogether involving an investment of about Rs 25,000 crore.

“We have pre-qualified for about Rs 50,000 crore worth of projects and are the preferred bidder for some projects like the Western Sea Link. We will bid for most of the infrastructure projects being planned in the country in the near future and infrastructure will be a major revenue for the company,” he said.

Further, the company will tap opportunities in sectors like ports and airports, railway stations and freight corridors, besides real estate projects like the Business District in Hyderabad, he said.

Already R-Infra has become the largest infrastructure project execution company, with 14 major ones, and one of the top three road project developers in the country, said the company chief.

The company is implementing its infrastructure projects through Reliance Infra Ventures, a recently constituted subsidiary formed as part of restructuring the business into various verticals.

The 41.775 km Namakkal–Karur Toll Road, built at an investment of Rs 344.8 crore, has started toll collection since August. The project was awarded by National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to R-Infra in January 2006, with a concession period for 20 years, which include a construction period of 30 months. The project was funded by the concessionaire, plus a grant from NHAI, on a build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The project has one major bridge of 800 meter length on the river Cauvery and three flyovers, besides various international standard travel facilities, said R-Infra.

They said the second project, the Rs 416.3 crore Dindigul-Samayanallur Toll Road with a length of 53.025 km, has started toll collection since the end of September. NHAI had awarded the project to R-Infra in January 2006 with a concession period for 20 years. The project has three railway overbridges, as a railway line is running parallel to the project, said sources.