Canadian firms offer expertise to rebuild A.P.

Visakhapatnam Port Trust chairman M.T. Krishnababu having a word with Stanley Gomes, Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner (South India) at the AP-Canada Infrastructure Conclave organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Visakhapatnam on Tuesday. Vikram Jain, Canadian trade commissioner, Neeraj Sarda, the vice-chairman of the Vizag CII, look on. .

Nine leading Canadian firms have expressed their willingness to offer their expertise in infrastructure, metro rail, logistics, engineering, real estate and other sectors and building smart towns and cities in Andhra Pradesh.

The teams comprising WorleyParsons Sea India Pvt. Ltd, R.V. Anderson Associates Ltd, Mircom Group of Companies, Lea International Ltd, IBI Group, CPCS Transcom Ltd, Clearford Industries Inc., Bombardier Transportation and Arup Datta Architect Ltd (ADAL) made presentations on their expertise to Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) here on Tuesday.

“We see bright prospects for partnerships on PPP and other modes as we India and Canada have very good bilateral ties. We have already explained our offer for participation in rebuilding A.P. and are expecting an appointment with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu shortly,” Vikram Jain, trade advisor, Canadian Trade Office, Hyderabad, told

The Hindu .

He said Canada and India have robust commercial relationship with over 650 Canadian companies already active in India. “Both the countries are striving to raise bilateral trade to $15 billion,” he disclosed.

The State government has already expressed its resolve to transform 14 cities, including Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupati, into smart cities for which it sought funding from the Central government under post-bifurcation special package.

Mr. Jain said they had also invited Indian participation in the North America’s largest exposition focusing on building, construction, design and real estate at Toronto from December 3 to 5.

Canada’s Consul and Senior Trade Commissioner in-charge of South India Stanley Gomes said their country had rich experience in executing PPP as procurement model for everything from construction of highways, flyovers to water, power and municipal solid waste disposal.

“Their visit is a welcome development and we should explore collaborations/PPP models in various sectors,” Visakhapatnam Port Trust Chairman M.T. Krishna Babu said.