It is essential to note the following main features of infrastructural development in India:
1. L&T Metro Rail (Hyderabad), an arm of infrastructure company L&T has granted a Rs. 220 crore (US$ 37.91 million)-project to Korean technology company Samsung SDS Company.
L&T contributed this amount for setting up Automatic Fare Collection (AFC) system for the forthcoming Hyderabad metro rail project. The scope of the order majorly includes setting up of smart card based ticketing system, ticket vending machines, cash and card based payment system, automatic gates along with near field communication technology that enables usage of mobile phones as fare media. Samsung has already managed to implement similar AFC projects across various countries including three in India–Bangalore metro, Jaipur metro and Delhi metro.
2. With an investment of Rs. 1,800 crore (US$ 310.2 million), The Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) is undertaking three major projects. These projects involve up-gradation of existing facilities at iron ore handling complex (OHC), extension of container terminal, mechanisation and West Quay North (WQ-7 and 8 berths). The cargo mix for WQ North berths will handle bulk cargoes such as blast furnace slag, bauxite, manganese, gypsum and other categories of ore. VPT is expected to spend Rs. 13,940 crore (US$ 2.42 billion) on a number of on-going projects to increase its current capacity to 149 million tonne (MT) by 2019-20.
3. Jet Airways carried the largest number of international passengers from India in 2012. It will also offer visa procurement services to its passengers wanting to travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and fly the carrier. Jet Airways has partnered with Dnata, which is a Dubai-based travel service company wherein the travellers from India to Dubai, Sharjah and Abu Dhabi would have the alternative to individually secure their visa before departure.
4. NHAI has completed 99.99 per cent of the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) highway network. This is India’s much-awaited infrastructure project and connects Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata and Mumbai. NHAI desired to set up GQ as a yardstick of Indian highways achieving global standards while improving local economies around it. The project also provided numerous opportunities for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in infrastructure building. Dnata’s travel specialists will guide passengers about the visa process. Dnata’s travel specialists Notes will then collect all the required documents and submit the visa application to the UAE Government on behalf of the passenger.
