Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) has discontinued its thermal power, ports and hydrocarbons verticals that were started almost a year ago. Th e decision was taken following the economic slowdown since then. It is informed that the three verticals contributed to HCC’s current order book of roughly Rs 18,000 crore insignificantly.

Its thermal power vertical has bagged an order for Rs 230 crore in the last one year. The ports vertical has been implementing a Rs 608-crore construction works for Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, but the order was bagged before the vertical was formed. HCC will complete these two projects, but will not look for new business for the three verticals.

According to Mr. Ajit Gulabchand, CMD, HCC, the verticals have been merged to create a leaner organisation that can chase large projects. “Th e verticals were created because of huge planned expenditure that was anticipated in these sectors. Now, the potential of these businesses becoming big does not exist,” he was quoted as saying. HCC’s focus will now be on five verticals: hydro power, water, nuclear power, transportation and EPC (engineering, procurement and construction).