The highway sector seems to witness investor 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 five firms — IRB Infrastructure, Ashoka Buildcon, Adani Road Transport, Oriental Structural Engineers and PNC Infratech — are understood to have evinced interest in two national highway stretches totalling 132-km under the traditional build-operate-transfer (toll) model where investors do have skin in the game.
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 in February. Three extensions have already been given for submission of final bids, with the latest deadline being July 9. Bids will be opened on July 10.
