SCOMI GEARS TO ENTER CHENNAI MONORAIL PROJECT

By P.Vijian

CHENNAI, June 22 (Bernama) -- Scomi Group Bhd has submitted a proposal to
take part in the proposed monorail project in Chennai, where the state
government plans to build a total of 300km stretch to ease traffic flow.

"Monorail is the most ideal transportation system for a city like Chennai.
Scomi is keen to participate and implement monorail project in Chennai.

"We have submitted our proposal to the chief minister's office about three
weeks ago," Selvaraja Chinnasamy, Mumbai-based Scomi International's Head of
Business Development -- India, told Bernama.

The newly elected Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister J.
Jayalalithaa, has announced plans to introduce monorail transportation system in
the traffic-choked city, home to about 4.6 million people.

It plans to raise public transportation system from the current 27 per cent
share in the southern state to 46 per cent by 2026, and monorail has been tipped
to be a new mode of transport for urban dwellers.

The government has earmarked the first phase of 111km stretch to be
completed within two to three years in Chennai -- Tamil Nadu's capital and fifth
most populace state in India.

"Scomi has decided to enter into major Indian metropolitan cities to
implement monorail transportation system and after Mumbai, we are looking at
Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai," added Selvaraja.

Scomi, along with its Indian consortium partner Larsen & Toubro,
successfully won the bid to build the 19.5km monorail stretch in India's
financial capital of Mumbai in 2008 and works are in progress in the city.

The Mumbai project, costing RM1.85 billion, is India's maiden monorail
project. (US$1=RM3.03)

-- BERNAMA