Rel Infra keen on Hyderabad Metro if Maytas exits

Anil Ambani group's Reliance Infra is open to bidding for the over Rs 12,000 crore Hyderabad Metro Rail project if the current developer Maytas Infra, promoted by the family of scam-hit Satyam founder Ramalinga Raju, is no longer with it. "We will bid for the Hyderabad Metro Project, held by Maytas, if the bids for this are invited," a Reliance Infra official, who did not want to be named, said. Maytas Infra is under the scanner of investigating agencies in connection with the Rs 7,800-crore accounting fraud at Satyam Computer. Maytas recently sought extension for completing the financial closure for the Rs 12,132 crore project amid speculation that the Andhra Pradesh government might repeal the deal. The official said that Reliance Infra had participated in the bidding process for the project last year but it was awarded to Maytas. "So, why not (try) now again," he added. He said that the company is now executing two prestigious metro projects, in Mumbai and New Delhi, and had the expertise to execute the Hyderabad project. Reliance Infrastructure, earlier Reliance Energy, is part of the special purpose vehicle (SPV) — Mumbai Metro One Private — incorporated to implement the 12-km elevated metro rail project connecting Versova-Andheri- Ghatkopar (VAG), covering 12 stations along the Metro corridor in Mumbai. It also bagged the Rs 2,500 crore Delhi airport express link project (23 km) connecting New Delhi railway station with Dwarka via Indira Gandhi International Airport in consortium with CAF of Spain, in January 2008.