Ranhill's associate wins water deal in West Bengal

RANHILL Utilities Bhd's associate company in India, Haldia Water Management Ltd (HWML), has secured a water supply deal in Haldia, West Bengal.

HWML signed a concession agreement with the Haldia Development Authority (HDA) to construct a 113.5 million litre per day (MLD) water treatment plant (WTP) on a design-build-finance-operate (DBFO) basis in the Indian port city.

“This is in addition to operating and maintaining Haldia’s existing 113.5 MLD treatment plant along with the entire distribution network and customer services for a period of 25 years,” said Ranhill in a statement today.

Ranhill, however, did not reveal the value of the contract.

Ranhill Utilities, together with its two local partners, Infrastructure Development Finance Company Ltd (IDFC) and Jamshedpur Utilities and Services Company Ltd (JUSCO) - a TATA Steel subsidiary - formed HWML, a special purpose company incorporated in India, to undertake the concession.

Each party has an equal shareholding of 33.33 per cent in HWML.

“The concession will definitely enhance infrastructure within the industrial area.

“There is huge demand for water with investors coming in to set up industries in Haldia. Tata Steel itself is investing in coke and power plants which would require a lot of water,” Ranhill’s chief executive officer, Ahmad Zahdi Jamil said. — Bernama