Recently, banks and financial institutions have evinced interest in setting up Infrastructure Debt Fund (IDF) structures. However, doubts linger as to how many of them will be able to raise any capital from these proposed IDFs from domestic or foreign institutional investors. The acceptability of these IDFs in the capital markets is yet to take off. Sumantra Das discusses issues related to IDFs and how far it will work as a catalyst for infrastructure finance.

The first edition of India Construction Festival 2012 brought together the movers and shakers of the industry.

The continually increased budget expenditure on the logistics sector, only 1 per cent of which is in the organised sector, has not borne fruit in cost reduction, so it’s time to recognise efficiency as the new theme to work towards,

BOT Annuity method brings several advantages in the form of private capital, private sector efficiencies and transfer of risks. Yet, the model is not receiving enough attention until recently.

While the extent of the highway network keeps increasing, its efficiency still remains questionable, While National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and developers are out to change the face of Indian roads, the ground level factors are not changing.

Dearth of good talent is resulting in mid-level managers having to take on newer roles in sectors in which they have not worked before—needing them to innovate how they will lead teams. Rumjhum Chatterjee says leaders are not born but made.

It took staggering statistics of disasters and deaths for the rail ministry to finally take cognisance of the need for modernisation leading to transport safety, seamless logistics and smooth transactions.

Consider this: At 4.5 mn TEUs last year,Jawaharlal Nehru Port handled over 55 percent of India’s container volumes.Yet it handled less than a fifth of Singapore’s 25 mn TEUs.What ails India’s container trade? In this issue, we focus on the most important piece in the container logistics eco system: dry ports

The infrastructure sectors will need to double their workforce in the next 10 years. But as the unorganised contractor community, which has sprung up after a steep decline in civil engineers, has become the most important pool for recruiters, skill enhancement will be key, writes Rumjhum Chatterjee.