A sigh of Covid relief: Toll and HAM projects may benefit

In FY2021, the Government of India announced various liquidity measures under ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ financial package. Soon after, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI, rated CARE AAA and Stable) followed the suit by announcing slew of measures for the road sector in a bid to boost liquidity for roads  developers against the backdrop of Covid 19 pandemic and resurrect investor confidence. These measures have been extended on a time-to-time basis by NHAI. On 1 July 2021, NHAI proposed to MoRTH to continue the benefits till 30 September 2021 in addition to grant of extension of time (EoT) under Covid-II. 

In CARE Ratings’ view, if the proposal is accepted, the likely extension of relief measures shall augur well for the road  developers of under-construction Hybrid Annuity Model (HAM) projects primarily in terms of EoT for completion and additional time for achieving financial closure. Presently, the road developers or sponsors are entitled to these benefits under the Atmanirbhar Bharat package announced in FY2021. The proposed grant of extension of concession period for  operational toll road projects is in alignment with the existing provisions of Concession Agreement. On an overall basis, in CARE Ratings’ opinion such extension in concession period for toll projects shall be limited to about 20 days. 

Patel Engineering Secures Two Projects Worth Rs 20.37 Billion

Patel Engineering Ltd has secured two important infrastructure projects valued at Rs 20.37 billion. The company received an order from the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra Ltd (CIDCO) for dam construction and associated works in Maharashtra. The project will be executed over a period of 42 months. Another project, awarded by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Ltd (NEEPCO), involves the development of a 240 MW hydropower project in Arunachal Pradesh. The project scope includes civil construction, testing, commissioning, and installation of hydro-mechanical e..

M B Patil Seeks Centre’s Support For Karnataka’s Industrial Growth

Karnataka’s Minister for Large and Medium Industries M B Patil has urged the central government to support the state in strengthening freight corridors and logistic infrastructure. He was speaking at a round table on ‘Focussing on the Steel Sector in the State of Karnataka’ during the 6th edition of India Steel-25, an International Conference-cum-Exhibition organised by the Ministry of Steel. Patil highlighted Karnataka’s contribution of 15 per cent to India’s steel production and the efforts by the state government to promote cluster-based development, integrated industrial corrido..

EdgePoint Towers Launches First Solar Hybrid Telecommunications Site

EdgePoint Towers Sdn Bhd, part of EdgePoint Infrastructure, has launched its first solar hybrid site in Malaysia, advancing renewable energy integration in the telecommunications sector. The deployment marks a major step towards sustainable energy solutions, providing up to 100 per cent of the energy required to operate telecommunications equipment. The site, with a 5.9-kilowatt peak (kWp) capacity, operates autonomously using photovoltaic energy supported by battery storage. This hybrid system significantly reduces dependence on diesel fuel, aiming to cut annual carbon emissions by around 78..