NHAI asset sale plan to be delayed due to Covid-19 outbreak: CRISIL

Response from investors is expected to be lukewarm

The National Highways Authority of India’s asset monetisation drive is likely to be a casualty of the Covid-19 crisis and so will be the Infrastructure Investment Trust (InvITs) as the former may see lukewarm response from the investors and the latter could be delayed. “TOT projects are expected to take a hit… both bundle 4 and 5 and InvITs could be delayed,” Akshay Purkayastha, director, CRISIL Risk & Infrastructure Solutions, said.
 

NHAI invited bids for the fourth TOT contract in October 2019 and expected to raise over Rs 4,000 crore by offering seven stretches with a cumulative length of 400 km. The project’s base price was, however, curtailed to Rs 2,165 crore and the concession period of the bundle was reduced to 20 years.