Global firms in race for freight corridor project

International construction giants from eight countries are vying for the Rs 6,000-crore tender for the eastern part of the dedicated freight corridor project. China Railway First Group, a part of state-owned China Railway Engineering Cor­­poration, one of the largest civil construction enterprises of the world, Spanish firms Corsan and OHL, Turkey-based Alarko and Malaysia's Leighton are the prominent fir­ms to bid along with Indian co­mp­anies for civil works for a 350-km stretch in Uttar Pradesh. The project, part of the high-speed freig­ht corridors linking Delhi with Mumbai and Kolkata, has also attracted companies from France, Russia, Italy and Ukraine. The Dedicated Freight Corridor Corp of India (DFCCIL), a com­­pany pro­mo­ted by the Indian Railways, has received 16 applications for the pre-qualification bids. L&T, Punj Lloyd, Gammon, HCC – are also vying for this contract.