The Malaysian government has roped in about a dozen companies and proposes to build a network of national expressways spanning 7,000 km.
Infrastructure funding experts estimate the project to cost at least Rs 42,000-56,000 crore, given the ballpark cost of Rs 6-8 crore a km, depending on terrain.
The project, to be executed on a build-operate-transfer basis in a phased manner, envisages two expressways: one linking Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune; the other connecting Delhi and Kolkata.If the proposal passes muster with the Indian government, it could well turn out to be the biggest foreign direct investment in a road project in the country. Infrastructure funding experts estimate the project to cost at least Rs 42,000-56,000 crore, given the ballpark cost of Rs 6-8 crore a km, depending on terrain.
The expressway will pave the way for investors pumping in money to set up units along (the expressways). However, land acquisition will have to be done by the Indian government.
Source: Financial Express
