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India to invite Chinese investment in USD 70-bn infra

India to invite Chinese investment in USD 70-bn infra

In a bid to attract foreign investment in the road building prog, Highways Min C P Joshi is likely to invite Chinese investors to participate in the country's mega road projects, each entailing an investment of about Rs 4,900 crore.

Joshi is in China and would address the second Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) of Transport Ministers at Chengdu, China, on Tuesday.

"The government is serious on attracting foreign investment particularly in mega projects of about USD 1 billion (about Rs 4,900 crore) each and the Highways Minister Joshi would hold meetings with Chinese investors," a Road Ministry official said.

The Transport Ministry's flagship road building programme - National Highways Development Project (NHDP) envisages investment to the tune of USD 70 billion (about Rs 3 lakh crore) in the next five years. About 60 percent of that is likely to come from the private sector.

Joshi is also likely to urge investors for making green highways, roads that are build using the techniques with minimum harm to environment.

Besides, transport security, safety and modernisation of toll collection system are also likely to be discussed during the ASEM meeting.

ASEM Transport Ministers' meeting is a high-level dialogue between the transport sector partners in the two continents. ASEM consists of 46 members countries.

India has indicated its interest in ASEM by increasing its annual contribution to Asia Europe Foundation (ASEF) from USD 1 million to USD 1.20 million.Media agencies

Rohan Bopanna-A Qureshi win Stockholm Open

India's Rohan Bopanna and Pakistan's Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshiwon the Stockholm Open men's doubles title with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-3 victory over Brazilians Marcelo Melo and Bruno Soares in Stockholm on Sunday.

It was top-seeded India-Pakistan pair's second ATP World Tour title of the season, following victory on grass at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle in June and overall, their third title as a team.

Bopanna and Qureshi, ranked seventh in the ATP doubles team rankings, added 250 points after their win and boosted their chances to qualify for the Barclays ATP World Tour. Three places remain in the eight-team field at the prestigious season finale in London next month.

"It has been a great week for us here," said Qureshi. "I always enjoy coming back to Stockholm. A few years ago I lost against Jonas Björkman in the first round and learnt something from that defeat (laughs)."

"It's also very special for me here thanks to the Pakistani fans who come to the stadium to support us. Of course, I also want to thank Rohan. We have been playing together for two years now and it's going great."

Bopanna said: "It feels great to have won our second title of the year and this is the best way to keep ourselves in contention for a berth in London."

Bopanna and Qureshi swiftly took the first set, breaking Melo and Soares' serve twice.

They then broke in the seventh and ninth game of the second set to seal the victory in 57 minutes.

The "Indo-Pak Express" next play in the Valencia Open 500 in Austria.