— Ramkrishna Telang, President - Business Development, Welspun Infratech Ltd

Welspun Infratech Ltd, formerly known as MSK Projects (India) Ltd, plans to leverage on the burgeoning infrastructure space. Founded in 1976, WPL is part of the $3- billion Welspun Group. Ramkrishna Telang, in an email interaction with Lalitha Rao, talks about the company's plan to enter other infrastructure space like monorail and metro rail, ports and airports among others.

India has planned to invest 50 lakh crore in infrastructure sector during the 12th 12th Five- Year Plan. What are the opportunities for Welspun Projects Ltd?
In addition to our core strengths of water supply, roads and buildings, we will participate in sectors like mono/metro rail, solid waste management, ports, airports and other infrastructure projects.

What are your plans for Maharashtra? Are you implementing any projects in the state other than energy and integrated steel plant projects?
We are interested in projects in Maharashtra and are participating mainly in water and road sectors. However, at present we are already implementing energy and steel plant in the state.

Land acquisition has been a major hurdle in highway development. How can the Maharashtra government help complete land acquisition well before awarding the project?
The state government should take advance measures in acquiring land required for the road project and the land owners compensated adequately in the current market rate. These measures need to be taken at the planning stage itself and not during the stroke after the bidding process is initiated. Unless the authority is in possession of at least 90 per cent land required for the project, they should not initiate the bidding process.

At the policy level what measures can further boost private sector participation in infrastructure projects?
The measures to include tax structure and benefits, modification of termination clause, reduced interest on finance, tax on interest paid to foreign lenders currently being born by Indian companies, stringent qualification criteria, and FDI framework should be introduced.

What does the current portfolio of Welspun Projects Ltd comprise?
The current portfolio of Welspun Projects Ltd includes projects in water sector, buildings and roads cumulatively valued at 750 crore. We would also focus in transportation sectors like mono/metro rail, ports and airports.

What is your current focus in road sector? What are the typical challenges encountered during execution of NHAI projects?
In addition to NHAI projects, we will also focus on state PWD road projects which we feel will have limited competition and also give adequate returns.

The typical challenges that we face are land acquisition, statutory clearances, shortage of labour, and ever-increasing prices of bitumen, cement, steel and other construction materials.

What opportunities do you envisage in the estimated $15- billion water market in India?
Requirement of water will see a quantum jump as more and more water supply projects are announced. In addition to growing requirement of water, recycling and desalination of plant will become necessity of the future. We have carried out extensive studies in water supply sector and envisage large amount of investments in the field.

What are the barriers to private sector investment in urban sector, especially in critical water supply and sewerage?
As I see it, there are no barriers to private sector investment in urban sector. We are not used to paying for water and recycled sewage, and this psyche has to be removed from people's mind.

What is your strategy for the 12th Five-Year Plan?
Strategy for the 12th Five-Year Plan includes participation in maximum number of projects in our core sectors, new sectors like solid waste management, secondary acquisitions, and tapping international market.