DB Realty, the Mumbai-based property developer whose name cropped up in both 2G and bribes-for-loan scams, does not see any major cashflow issues, nor does it plan to raise any big debt to fund its projects, according to a senior official of the company.
Money Matters Financial Services, whose managing director was arrested for his alleged role in the bribes-for-loan scam, did a loan syndication worth over Rs 5,000 crore for at least four real estate developers — DB Realty, Noida-based Jaypee Infratech, Mumbai-based HDIL and Delhi-based Emaar MGF. DB Realty went in for a loan syndication of Rs 188 crore.
Shahid Balwa, managing director of DB Realty, told Business Standard in an emailed response: “Our new forthcoming projects will have some private equity players participating at the special purpose vehicle levels and bulk of the project cost being funded through pre-sale bookings with minimum debt.”
DB Realty’s shares went down 38 per cent last week after its name cropped up in the bribes-for-loan scam.
Analysts, including Ambit Capital, said following the scam, debt restructuring and refinancing of realty companies would go through increased scrutiny and the required asset security would also go up. This will result in delays in refinancing and will push up the cost of borrowing.
Balwa said DB Realty had a debt of Rs 400 crore, including a Rs 188-crore loan from LIC Housing Finance, whose managing director was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation in relation to the bribes-for-loan scam. He said the loan from LIC Housing Finance was a secured one and was taken at the market rate of 13.5 per cent plus 0.5 per cent processing fees for construction finance.
“As such our leverage is only around 0.21 per cent as of now and we do not see our debt component going too high in the near future. At best, we may go up to 0.75 over the next couple of years,” Balwa said.
Balwa ruled out the analysts view that home prices could correct 10-20 per cent due to reduced bank funding. “We expect the prices to remain stable for some time to come and do not see any major corrections.”
Regarding DB Realty’s involvement in the 2G scam, Balwa said the company did not have any direct or indirect shareholding in Etisalat DB Telecom (originally Swan Telecom). The promoters of DB Realty own around 45 per cent in Etisalat DB, according to him.
The Communications and Information Technology Minister, Kapil Sibal, yesterday announced that the department of telecommunications would slap notices on 85 licence holders for violation of eligibility norms. The Comptroller and Auditor General had earlier said 85 of the 122 licences issued in 2008 did not meet the DoT-prescribed norms, and therefore, licences should be cancelled.
“The promoters and Etisalat DB have shared all data/information and documents relating to the grant of licences with the government agencies and are fully co-operating with the same. The promoters have maintained that licenses were awarded to Etisalat DB Telecom after the necessary verification and due diligence by the government and thus, we do not see any issue from our perspective,” Balwa said.
