NHAI shortlists bids for Rs 22,000 cr in just over a month

In a sign that the government's stimulus packages are having an impact, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has shortlisted 16 bids from private players for projects valued at Rs 22,000 crore for various projects in just over a month.

The National Highways Development Project (NHDP), which had not awarded any concessions under phases II, III and V in the first half of the current financial year, received as many as 36 bids for about 60 expressway build-operate-transfer (BOT) projects with a total outlay of Rs 70,000 crore in December and January.

The award of tenders for these 60 projects was supposed to have been completed in 2008.

"We have received about 36 bids so far for projects under National Highways Development Project (NHDP) phases II, III, V and VII. Out of them, 16 have been shortlisted and these are worth Rs 22,000 crore," Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Secretary Brahm Dutt told PTI.

To prevent the economic slowdown from taking a toll on development projects, the government allowed India Infrastructure Finance Committee Ltd (IIFCL) to raise up to Rs 40,000 crore through tax-free bonds in tranches for re-financing long-term bank lending to infrastructure projects in the stimulus packages announced in December and January.

"Earlier the response was poor but now we are hopeful of getting more encouraging participation from private players," he said.

Dutt said the dates for bidding for some remaining projects have been extended to the last week of January while for some the deadline has been set for the first week of February.
    
He said in six projects there was only one bidder each and the matter would be referred to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC).