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India Developing, but still a long way to go

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Bollywood meets Las Vegas
Bandra to get a Bellagio, MGM hotel



Indian business magnate Mukesh Ambani and Mumbai realtor Maker Builders have agreed to set up two of the world's glitziest hotel brands -- the Bellagio and MGM Grand -- at Maker Maxity in Bandra-Kurla Complex.

"The location’s proximity to the central business district, the entertainment industry and affluent residents provides a perfect setting for the confluence of energy, indulgence and luxury that the hotels will bring to the destination," said Gamal Aziz, CEO of MGM Hospitality with whom Ambani and Maker Builders have signed an agreement.

The Indian company will manage and run the hotels, and, according to reports, will "merge Mumbai’s personality in the Bandra Bellagio’s architecture."

Bollywood meets Las Vegas -- an opulent match made in heaven that will take at least five years to materialize.

Read more: Bandra to get a Bellagio hotel | CNNGo.com Bandra to get a Bellagio hotel | CNNGo.com
 
Delay pushes Metro cost up 7 crore a day

LUCKNOW: As the proposed Metro rail project in the city fails to cross the planning stage, its escalating cost has hit the roof. With the delay of each passing day adding an additional burden of Rs 7 crore to the cost, the project will become unviable if not started immediately, caution experts.

Union urban development minister Kamal Nath on Thursday slammed the BSP government for the tardy progress of the project conceptualized three years ago. The UP government has chosen not to react to Kamal Nath's charges. UP's housing minister, Naseemuddin Siddiqui told TOI: "Whatever we have done is on record. I can't comment without checking facts." Government sources privy to the developments pertaining to the project, however, confirmed that the cost of the project was indeed the biggest hurdle.

Going by the UP government records, the estimated cost of project rose by around Rs 227 crore every month between January and July when the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) submitted its detailed project report. A brief summary on the project prepared by the high-level committee of the state government in January estimated the cost of the project at Rs 11,077 crore. This escalated to Rs 12,671 crore by July, which is well over Rs 1,500 crore. The rise was ostensibly because of the rise in taxes and duties, besides the rise in the cost of cement, steel and other essential materials.

When the project was conceptualized in September 2008, the project was pegged at Rs 8,200 crore. It was amended from time to time during the gradual course of consultation with the DMRC which was asked to prepare a detailed project report by the state government in 2009. The DMRC submitted the DPR in July this year. DMRC chairman E Shreedharan in recent interview to TOI said that on an average the cost of the project will rise heavily.

Any further delay, not surprisingly, may derail the project, giving ample opportunity to the Centre and the opposition to lambast the government on development issues. The project has already snowballed into a political controversy with Kamal Nath squarely charging the UP government of not taking adequate steps to set the project on track.

The UP government is still not certain how to finance the project. Earlier, the project was conceptualized on the DMRC model under which 50% of the finances are made available by the Centre while the rest is provided by the state, which may also raise funds by entering into an agreement with private players and forming a special purpose vehicle (SPV). The model, which has been adopted by Hyderabad, would require the state government to shell out at least Rs 6,000 crore. But the state government did not make any provisions in the supplementary budget that was put forth in the state assembly in August earlier this year.

The public private partnership (PPP), is another model that the state government has been considering for quite some time. But that will again be a challenging task considering adequate footfalls to sustain the project. "The rate of return needs to be not less than 12%. If it is less than that the project would be termed financially unviable,'' said a senior government official closely associated with the project.

However, sources said that the state government has informed the DMRC that it intends to start the project by March 2012, with the first leg getting completed by 2017.

Delay pushes Metro cost up 7 crore a day - The Times of India

mayawati has all the money to build parks but when it comes to metro rail she is asking from centre. shame on her
 
India to raise Rs10,000 crore debt for building highways

India will soon raise Rs10,000 crore ($1.9 billion) through a public debt issue for funding its ambitious national highways project, Union Road Transport & Highways Minister CP Joshi said here Wednesday.

“The finance ministry has allowed us to raise Rs10,000 crore through debt bonds for funding construction of highways across the country,” Joshi told reporters on the margins of a trade event.

The funds will be raised by the state-run National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) through tax-free infrastructure bonds within a month.

“The proposed fund-rising will be sufficient for the highway projects under execution. We will raise more funds as we go for more such projects,” Joshi said after unveiling the sixth international construction equipment industry trade fair Excon 2011 on the outskirts of this southern tech hub.

India to raise Rs10,000 crore debt for building highways - India - DNA
 
Buddh International Circuit wins Global Award - Times Of India

Buddh International Circuit wins Global Award
PTI Nov 17, 2011, 10.50PM IST
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Professional Motorsport World Expo 2011

(Red Bull Formula One driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany drives during the Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. (Reuters Photo))

NEW DELHI: Buddh International Circuit, which played host to India's first Formula One Grand Prix on October 30, has been awarded the 'Motorsport Facility of the Year' award at the Professional Motorsport World Expo 2011, held in Cologne, Germany.

Boris Lazaric, COO Construction, Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) collected the award on behalf of JPSI on November 15.


The other contenders in the category were Baltimore Street Circuit, Mugello Circuit and Phoenix International Raceway, but BIC emerged as an unanimous winner.

Speaking on the occasion, Manoj Gaur, the chairman of JPSI said, "This is a very proud moment for us and it feels great to be acknowledged for the hard work that made the inaugural Indian Grand Prix at BIC a resounding success.

"I would like to congratulate my team and dedicate this award to every member who worked tirelessly in making BIC a world class racing facility," he added.

Gary Anderson, a member of the PMW Expo Awards judging panel said, "Over the last 10 years we have seen many new F1 circuits created around the world, most of these to an excellent standard as far as the overall facility is concerned but lacking imagination when it comes to the actual circuit design.

"Buddh International Circuit has gone the other way and created an excellent circuit layout, which the drivers, engineers and spectators love. With adequate facilities to put on a great event, it will mature into one of the best."

Professional MotorSport World Expo is central Europe's leading trade-only motorsport exhibition.
 

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