Tata Realty & Infra's PE fund returns Rs 1,250 cr to investors

TRIL is also signing a Rs 2,500-cr real estate platform investment deal with Standard Chartered Private Equity

Tata Realty & Infrastructure (TRIL), promoted by Tata Sons, has returned Rs 1,250 crore to investors in its first real estate fund.

The $700-million (then Rs 3,200 crore) fund was raised in 2008 and had invested in special economic zones (SEZs), shopping centres and mixed-use projects.

"The fund life was coming to an end and that is why they paid back money to investors," said a source.

"We did not invest everything as markets were getting weakened. We have paid back Rs 1,250 crore," said Sanjay Ubale, managing director of TRIL.

He did not divulge the names of investors or their returns. The funds, he said, came from various sources, including internal resources, to pay back investors. The investments are in an infotech SEZ in Chennai, a shopping centre in Amritsar, two mixed-use projects in Kochi and Nagpur, and an information technology SEZ in Mumbai.

"We will raise and invest Rs 1,500 crore in real estate and infrastructure this year," said Ubale, adding they were exploring the option of real estate investment trusts in Japan, Singapore and India to raise funds.

TRIL is also signing a Rs 2,500-crore real estate platform investment deal with Standard Chartered Private Equity, wherein the latter will hold a 30 per cent stake for Rs 800 crore.

The company had won a Rs 1,400-crore national highway project between Hosapete (earlier Hospet) and Chitradurga in Karnataka, and a Rs 150-crore cable car project between Dharamsala and McLeodganj in Himachal Pradesh. It is also in the process of completing the acquisition of three road projects.