During October 2012, GVK Power & Infrastructure (GVKPIL) through its subsidiary Hancock Coal Infrastructure Pty. has awarded a significant multibillion dollar contract to Korea's Samsung C&T Corp and the Australian Smithbridge Group to build a port in Australia. However, exact value of the contract has not been disclosed. As per the contract, Samsung C&T will provide majority of the steel and supply ship loaders from Korea and other Asian countries for setting up the 60-million tpa T3 port terminal for the Alpha Coal Project of Abbot Point in Queensland, Australia. The Smithbridge Group will be responsible for engineering, marine works and providing local Australian expertise. The port of Abbot Point will be connected through a 500-km railway line, which will deliver 25,000 tonne per train load of coal. It is expected to deliver first coal in 36 months from commencement of construction.

"This is a key strategic development for us and further underscores our deep commitment to the Alpha Coal project. After receiving all the Tier 1 approvals, this is the first major step towards finalising the construction contracts and completing the financing for the project which is well underway." - said Dr GVK Reddy, Chairman, GVKPIL. The port is part of a $10-billion (approx Rs 51,000 crore) mine project being set up by GVKPIL. The Phase I of the project involves developing a 30 million tpa mine, construction of a 500 km railway line and a 60 million tpa port. The other construction contracts for the project, such as mine infrastructure, the wash plant and rail will be announced in the next few months. The month has witnessed 37 contracts worth Rs 5,055 crore being awarded in the various sectors. The Power Distribution sector has secured maximum contracts followed by Railways, Articles of Iron & Steel and Other Community Services. In the Power Distribution sector, PGCIL has awarded a contract worth Rs 571 crore to Kalpataru Power Transmission for supply and erection of two projects consisting 765 kV D/C transmission lines of 249 km. Meanwhile, the company has also awarded a turnkey contract worth Rs 227 crore to KEC International for supply and erection of 400kV, 220kV and 132kV transmission lines in the Jharkhand. In all KEC International has secured seven contracts worth Rs 829 crore. Of which, it has bagged a contract worth Rs 278 crore from Abu Dhabi Transmission & Despatch Co. for design, supply and erection of 400kV transmission line between Ruwals and Bag grid stations on a turnkey basis. In the Railways sector, HCC has secured a contract worth Rs 373 crore from DMRC for design and construction of 2.2 km twin tunnel between Shalimar Bagh and Netaji Subhash Place stations and an underground ramp among others on the Mukundpur-Yamuna Vihar corridor, under Phase III of the Delhi metro rail project. This was the company's third contract from DMRC as it has also constructed package C1 and C6 of the Airport Express Line, as part of its earlier contracts.

In the Roadways sector, IL&FS Transportation Networks has secured a contract worth Rs 660 crore from the NHAI for construction of new bridges/structure, repair of existing four Ianning road from Km 0.000 to Km 119.300 on the Baleshwar Kharagpur Section of National Highway No 60 (NH-60) in Orissa and West Bengal under NHDP Phase I on DBFOT Toll basis. In the sector, Tantia Construction Co has secured a contract from Public Works Department, Chandigarh for work related to development and operation & maintenance of Batala- Mehta- Beas Road (MDR-66) on DBFOT basis in Punjab.

Overall, nine overseas contracts worth Rs 1,119 crore were secured in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Philippines, South Africa, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates and Australia. Among this, one of the noteworthy contract worth Rs 445 crore has been secured in the Other Storage & Distribution sector by IL&FS Engineering & Construction Company from IL&FS Prime Terminals FZC. The contract is for construction of storage tank terminal at Fujairah in United Arab Emirates. It consists of construction of 15 storage tanks having a total storage capacity of 0.85 million tonne. Another important contract is secured in the Transformers sector worth Rs 175 crore by Fedders Lloyd Corporation from Ethiopian Electric Power Corporation for supply of distribution transformers and cables and other accessories for Ethiopia Electric Power Corporation funded by the Ethiopia Government.

During the month, contracts worth Rs 451 crore were awarded wherein awarder companies have not been disclosed. These orders includes the one bagged by Tulsi Extrusions, TRF, KEC International and, BS. TRF received orders worth Rs 270 crore for various material handling equipment and project work from customers like Tata Steel and others. However, the company did not disclose the identity of the awarder companies and exact scope of work.