Engineering, procurement and construction company Punj Lloyd Ltd, which has interests in construction for the oil and gas, thermal power and civil infrastructure industries, wants to increase its highways portfolio in India, company chairman Atul Punj said. The company is looking to participate in projects covering 2,000-3,000km over the next six months, Punj said. Join discussion...

In a complete break from the current style of bidding out highway projects (as small parcels of land), the surface transport ministry is planning to award mega projects comprising 400 km to 600 km of highways. “In the next four to six months, we will be bidding out the first of the mega projects that will entail an investment of Rs 5,000 crore or about $1 billion,” road transport and highways minister Kamal Nath said on Sunday. He was speaking on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit. Join discussion...

German construction company Hochtief (HOTG.DE) said it plans to list its Hochtief Concessions AG unit on the Frankfurt stock exchange this year. If "suitable capital market environment exists", the initial public offering will take place before the end of 2009, the company said late Wednesday. Join discussion...

Hochtief, Germany's largest builder, expects to get less than 1 billion euros ($1.47 billion) from the possible sale of shares in its Concessions unit, several people with knowledge of the matter said. Join discussion...

The Government's decision to review the Land Transport Management Act is a key step towards improving transport planning funding and delivery transport in New Zealand" says New Zealand Council for Infrastructure Development Chief Executive, Stephen Selwood. Transport Minister Steven Joyce announced the review yesterday aimed at increasing the effectiveness of planning, funding and accountability under the LTMA. Join discussion...

Paraguay's public works and communications ministry (MOPC) has designed a US$660mn infrastructure concessions plan, an official from the ministry's planning office told BNamericas. The plan includes airport concessions that will require an estimated US$170mn investment and navigation initiatives in the rivers Apa, Pilcomayo and Paraguay for a total of US$50mn. Join discussion...

Chile's private sector will invest at least US$4.5bn over the next five years in new concession projects, the president of local concessionaires association Copsa, Herman Chadwick, told BNamericas. Join discussion...

The concessions division at Chile's public works ministry (MOP) presented its 2009-10 project portfolio at a seminar in capital Santiago on Wednesday. "Between 1991 and 2009, we signed 55 contracts involving more than 140 foreign and local companies," said Leonel Vivallos, head of project development at the concessions division. Join discussion...

Chile's public works ministry (MOP) is aiming to increase the number of concessions while at the same time providing better services, concessions coordinator Ricardo Trincado said at a seminar in capital Santiago. "We have a new portfolio of projects but at the same time we are improving the current concessions," said Trincado. Join discussion...

RECENTLY, there has been a slate of reports by various investment banking research houses criticising proposed plans to buy back the highways from concessionaires — a proposal that has been criticised by the concessionaires themselves. The DAP has suggested that the government buy back all shares of PLUS Expressways Bhd that it does not already own, and take over its existing asset-backed liabilities for the approximate amount of RM15 billion. This amount and more would be recovered from motorists using the North-South Highway by maintaining the existing toll rates for six years. Should PLUS be acquired this year, by 2016, toll collection would no longer be required on PLUS-owned highways. Join discussion...