IRB Infra, Adani Group, 2 others bid for BOT-toll highway project

The highway sector seems to again witness investors’ interest in pure public-private partnership (PPP) projects, the share of which in new awards has declined precipitously for nearly a decade and drawn a blank in the last two financial years.

At least four firms — IRB Infrastructure, Adani Group, GR Infraprojects and PNC Infratech — have submitted bids in both the national highway stretches totalling 132-km under the revised, investor-friendly build-operate-transfer (toll) model.

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had invited request for proposals (RFPs) for six-laning of the two stretches in West Bengal – Panagarh to Palsit (67.75) and Palsit to Dankuni (63.83 km) – on the NH-19. Thursday was the last date of submission of the bids. NHAI made a similar attempt last year, but annulled the plan subsequently for want of adequate number of bidders.