The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) expects to raise Rs 350 billion through various means of asset monetisation this fiscal year, up from Rs 328.55 billion in the previous fiscal.
Currently, MoRTH monetises its assets through three different models: toll-operate-transfer (TOT), Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT), and project-based financing, in order to provide all types of investors with the opportunity to invest in highway and associated infrastructure assets.
Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvIT) is a mutual fund-style entity meant to gather money from investors and invest in assets that would deliver cash flows over time.
While Rs 150 billion is intended to be raised through project-based financing of high-speed corridors by securitizing future toll income without any direction from the authority in 2023-24, Rs 100 billion is slated to be raised through InvIT.
According to the official, MoRTH has already raised Rs 679.97 billion through various types of asset monetisation in the last four years, through February 28, 2023.
He stated that Rs 263.66 billion has been raised through the monetisation of 1,614 km via ToT to date, with Rs 31.44 billion raised in FY 2022-23 until February 2023, and bids have been requested for two further ToT bundles totaling Rs 70 billion. These are likely to be awarded in July 2023, the official added.
He further stated that Rs 102 billion has been raised to date through NHAI InvIT listings totaling 635 km in phases I and II. Out of this, Rs 28.50 billion has been raised in the fiscal year 2022-23 through February 28, 2023, with InvIT phase III to be granted in April 2023 for a total of Rs 100 billion.
According to the source, Rs 313.21 billion has been realized through project-based finance of the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to date, with Rs 75.84 billion raised in FY 2022-23 through February 2023.
See also:
In FY24, MoRTH intends to construct 45 kilometres of road daily
NHIDCL is constructing around 4,000 km in the northeast
