Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has bagged a ₹3,375-crore order from Metro Express Ltd, a Mauritius state-owned company, to design and build an integrated light rail-based urban transit system in the island nation.

The project envisions 26-km metroline with 19 stations. Apart from stations, the scope of work for L&T includes construction of viaducts and bridges, track works, DC electric traction systems, ticketing and passenger information systems and integration and construction of depots.

The contract was signed on July 31, the company said in the statement. The project is scheduled to be completed in 48 months and will be fully funded through a Government of India grant and line of credit.

“The new light rail system will significantly transform the way Mauritius will commute in the future and will also bring in economic benefits along the route,” said SN Subrahmanyan, MD and CEO of L&T.

According to Rajeev Jyoti, CEO, Railways Strategic Business Unit at L&T, the company is currently building the Riyadh and Doha metros, apart from 17 others in India. “With this project we are looking forward to spreading our influence in Africa too,” he said, adding that it is L&T’s first project in Africa in the metro and railway sector.

Despite a 12 per cent growth in L&T’s domestic order book, its international orders fell 40 per cent on the backdrop of slowing investment cycle in the West Asian region, the key market for L&T outside India.

Jyoti said L&T is selective in terms of projects outside India. Clarity on financial closure is one of the main criteria for making a decision on new bids, he added. L&T is exploring Bangladesh and Sri Lanka among other markets, he said.

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