State earmarks 221 projects to woo investors

According to the information shared by the industry, the State has identified over 221 investment opportunities for private firms, both domestic and foreign to partner with. And the estimated cost of each of these projects will vary between Rs 350 crore to Rs 7,000 crore, a presentation made to a delegation from the State of Bavaria headed by Bavarian State Minister for Federal & European Affairs Emilia Muller revealed.

Focus on infrastructure

While specific details of various projects were obliterated, the major ones identified are in sectors like power, transportation, traffic Management, roads, port constructon etc. Projects in the pipeline are — three railway projects, 36 traffic & transit management centres, 15,000 kilometres (KM) of road connection and 10,000 KM of toll road projects, eight minor and one major port development projects, and development of industrial areas across 1,60,000 acres of land.

“We have three new railway projects identified in the state and we are in the process of acquiring the necessary land for these projects. The approval from the Railway Ministry has already been obtained for all these projects,” Commerce & Industry Commissioner Rajkumar Katri said in the presentation. The government has approved a high speed rail link between Bangalore city and International Airport with an estimated cost of Rs 7,000 crore, it added. This project will be available on a build, operate and transfer model (BOT).

The government is also planning to develop 36 traffic and transit management centres with underground parking facilities, commercial development and entertainment centres — also on a PPP model.

On the same lines, a project to connect 15,000 kilometres of road network in the state is in the pipeline. And a proposition has been made to convert 10,000 KMs of road to toll roads providing opportunities for investments in the infrastructure sector.

Further, boasting of the longest shoreline along the Arabian Sea, the State has proposals to build a major port in Karwar and eight other minor ports across Belekere, Tadri, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Kundapura, Hangarkatta, Malpe and Old Mangalore.  On the power front the government has identified the shortage (15,000 MW) and its implications to the industry — and has initiated construction of several Power Projects — each ranging from 1000 to 1300 MW with investments of about Rs 7,000 crore.

Most importantly, the government has expressed regret over being unable to woo investors in the past due to land constraints and has initiated to create a land bank of 1,60,000 acres across the state. Some of the areas already developed are: Bangalore 1100 acres, Mysore 13,000 acres, Bijapur 26,000 acres, Bagalkot 28,000 acres, Udupi 4500 acres.

DH News Service