RoadMin to take up GMR Infra project issue with Committee of Secy

According to sources, GMR too ready to start the project with some preconditions

In a bid to salvage the stalled Kishangarh-Udaipur-Ahmedabad highway project of GMR Infrastructure, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will soon approach the Committee of Secretaries.

"The matter will go to the Committee of Secretaries, we want that the net present value of the project does not change," a Road Ministry official told PTI.

The difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows is the net present value of a project.

The Ministry and the company are already in discussions to rescue the project.

According to sources, GMR Infrastructure was ready to start the project with some preconditions, including making piece-meal payments.

The company has also said it would pay about 50% of the amount to restart the work on project at present and pay the remaining sum in the subsequent years, including interest.

The official added that the proposal from the Ministry is to ask the company to make the requisite payments in time and to seek its guarantee to ensure that the project is not abandoned mid-way, leading to the financial burden falling on the the government.

Earlier this year, GMR Infrastructure walked out of the Kishangarh-Udaipur-Ahmedabad project, 16 months after securing the order.

The project is estimated to have required an investment of Rs 5,387 crore. The Bangalore-based group had won the project in western India through international competitive bidding at Rs 636 crore annual premium for 26 years.

It is believed that the company terminated the contract on account of difficulties in taking up the project due to regulatory hurdles, including delays in environment clearance and land acquisition.

However, NHAI had said that the company exited the project on account of financial hurdles in arranging finance for the project and not due to lack of regulatory clearances.

The company had won the project in September, 2011, through the international competitive bidding route. It is to be implemented through the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer basis.