Toshiba, Hitachi, MHI expected to secure Indian infrastructure orders+

TOKYO, March 20 Kyodo -
Alliances of major Japanese manufacturers and local governments are expected to
land orders to build a range of infrastructure in India, including ''smart
grid'' power transmission line networks, in areas around Delhi and Mumbai,
sources close to the matter said Saturday.
The Japanese alliances, backed by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
are likely to include Toshiba Corp., Hitachi Ltd. and Mitsubishi Heavy
Industries Ltd. as well as the city governments of Yokohama and Kitakyushu, the
sources said.
The local governments envision utilizing their accumulated know-how related to
resource recycling projects, they said.
The details of the plans will be announced Tuesday.
The projects will be implemented in four locations in a corridor linking Delhi
and Mumbai.
The Japanese alliances will also pursue other infrastructure projects in the
country such as for sewage systems.
If Indian parties to the infrastructure projects formalize agreements to place
orders with the Japanese entities, they will kick off relevant feasibility
studies, possibly in April, the sources said.
In February, the ministry and the Indian government-backed development
corporation in charge of overseeing the implementation of the infrastructure
projects in the areas reached a basic agreement to entrust the Japanese
alliances with implementing parts of the projects.
The ministry has since engaged in a process to select qualified Japanese
companies, they added.
==Kyodo