Chinese company offers to build irrigation projects in Telangana

This was the 1st time that the state govt has decided to open the irrigation projects to foreign construction companies

Telangana government has invited Chinese infrastructure company Gezhoba, which was associated with the construction of the famous Three Gorges dam in its country, to take part in the construction of the irrigation projects in the state.

This was the first time the state government has decided to open the irrigation projects to foreign construction companies. The state government has made a Rs 25,000 crore plan outlay for the irrigation sector, the largest ever allocation of budget in a single year.

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Showing keen interest to take part in the construction of some of these irrigation projects, Gezhoba representatives have met with the chief minister and his team of officials and shared the details about their expertise in this area. The company also informed the government of its intent to bring upto Rs 10,000 crore investments into these projects, according to a government spokesperson.

While advising the company to participate in the tender process soon to be initiated for selecting the companies for the construction of Kaleshwaram, Tupakulagudem and Sitarama Project and other lift irrigation projects being proposed on River Godavari, the chief minister also instructed the department engineers to visit China to study the technology and practices used for such projects.

Growing interest among Chinese companies on infrastructure projects in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana has been visible for the past one year following the China visit undertaken by Chief Ministers N Chandrababu Naidu and K Chandrasekhara Rao of the respective states.

Last year a delegation from China Railway (CCRC) met with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and discussed possible areas of collaboration including the participation in the proposed metro rail projects. Chinese companies see opportunities in other areas like the development of new ports and airports and also the construction projects in the new capital city in Andhra Pradesh.

In May last year, GMR Infrastructure Limited had singed an agreement with Guizhou International Investment Corporation (GIIC), a consortium of three Chinese manufacturing companies for establishing an industrial park with a proposed investment of $500 million in its 10,000 acre Kakinada SEZ project. The home grown infrastructure company also had past experience in working with Chinese construction companies as it had roped in China construction as one of the contractors for the Hyderabad International Airport Project.

On Saturday, China Sichuan Province signed a MoU with Andhra Pradesh for mutual cooperation. Under this agreement Sichuan would facilitate hassle-free investments into the state for industry, trade, education among other areas.