Construction and engineering major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) is set to go for big projects in West Bengal under the new dispensation.
As a first step to it, the company chairman A M Naik met the state’s new Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee today at Writers’ Building, the state secretariat. “I have come to West Bengal after 34 years of lack of economic growth and I heard in Delhi that Banerjee is full of ideas and is progressive. She works very fast,” Naik said after the meeting.
He also met with the state Finance Minister Amit Mitra and discussed about various projects that can be done in the state. “L&T is looking for large-scale infrastructure projects of above Rs 3,000-4,000 crore in the state — like the one we did in Delhi and Mubai airports,” said Debojyoti Chatterjee, L&T spokesperson.
When asked about the company’s plans in Bengal, Mitra said, “The chief minister had given Naik many ideas on Digha development, promotion of tourism in the Sunderbans and expressway development and the company head returned highly impressed.”
Though the firm had done some projects in the state, Chatterjee said that they are small projects compared to L&T standards. “We have done some small projects like a glass furnace at the Steel Authority of India’s (SAIL) Asansol unit, AJC Bose road fly over and ESI hospital in Joka. But all of them ranges between Rs 200-500 crore,” he said.
Asked as to when L&T would start working on new projects in the state, Mitra said “ideas have been just given and they will now discuss among themselves and ascertain the cost factors.” However, many business personalities are lining up with their best wishes and to get an appointment with its supremo Mamata Banerjee and her associates.
According to the state Industry and Commerce minister Partha Chatterjee, many business honchos like Kris Gopalakrishnan of Infosys and JSW Steel Managing Director Sajjan Jindal have sent letters and want to meet the state ministers. Last week, NTPC chaieman Arup Roy Chowdhury also came and had a meeting with Banerjee.
