Small BusinessScomi eyes partners for monorail projects
Malaysia-based Scomi International is scouting for partners to tap the monorail market in India, which is estimated to be around $15 billion (Rs 72,000 crore) in the next five years.
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The company, along with L&T, has bagged the Rs 2,450-crore order from the Maharashtra Metropolitan Region Development Authority for the Mumbai monorail project.
Speaking to Business Standard, Kanesan Veluppillai, president, Scomi International, who was here as part of the delegation led by the Malaysian Prime Minister, said “we are betting big on India’s monorail business.”
The first monorail will have its first trial run on January 26 for five kilometres. It will run for six months. “There is a potential for another 100 km,” he added.
“We will partner L&T to bid for projects in Maharashtra. Pune will be the next city to call for bids for the monorail project," he said.
In Karnataka, the company has tied up with Bangalore-based Geodysid and is looking for one more infrastructure company to be part of the consortium to bid for the Karnataka project.
The Delhi government too has identified three potential lines for which a Rail India Technical and Engineering Services study was done. The state government is expected to call for the bid after the Commonwealth Games,” said Veluppillai.
The company has also recommended the Tamil Nadu Government to consider monorail as part of its traffic master plan for the cities including Chennai, Madurai and Tiruchy, as pilot.
Scomi has invested $15 million (around Rs 35 crore) for setting up a manufacturing facility in Malaysia with a capacity of 200 coaches, most of which will be exported to India.
“We will set up a manufacturing unit in India after we bag two more orders from India,” said Veluppillai. He added the company has already started looking at states for setting up the facility, which will attract an initial investment of around Rs 150-200 crore.