Singapore-based firm positions to bid for Amaravati development

A Singapore-based consultancy firm focusing on infrastructure and urban development is positioning to bid for downstream projects in Andhra Pradesh's capital city of Amaravati for which it has prepared a master plan.

"Currently, we are doing the land management system for Amaravati. Once that is finished, we can go to the next stage of tendering for some of the downstream work," said Wong Heang Fine, group chief executive officer of the Surbana Jurong Private Limited (SJ).

"Between SJ and SMEC we can undertake the city's (Amaravati)infrastructure," said Wong after announcing a merger of his group with Australia's infrastructure consultancy, SMEC Holdings Ltd on Monday.

The downstream projects include water systems and electrical distribution network, he said.

SJ is paying Singapore Dollars 400 million for 100 per cent acquisition of SMEC which has over 800 employees in India and a global design centre at Bangalore through collaboration with Cyient, an Indian engineering and design led manufacturing.

SMEC, which is also undertaking a wide range of infrastructure projects in India and around the world,will increase its participation through SJ's large-scale participation in Indian projects, said Andy Goodwin, SMEC's chief executive and managing director.

"There is a potential of project financing and doing feasibility studies in India," said Liew Mun Leong, chairman who has worked on Indian projects since 1993 starting first with Singapore's Information Technology Park in Bangalore.