Infrastructure sectors, often disparaged for the long gestation of projects, have hit a purple patch, as seen in the order-books of construction, engineering, steel, power and electrical equipment and transmission companies.

India Inc's order-book swelled to Rs 73,233 crore (Rs 732.33 billion) in calendar 2006, up 80 per cent over Rs 40,672 crore (Rs 406.72 billion) in 2005.

In fact, this year's order-book is roughly equal to the combined 2005-06 turnover of 309 companies covered in the study. Data has been culled from public announcements and information available with the exchanges.

Over one-fourth of the orders came from overseas companies, while the remaining came from domestic companies, central and state governments. In 2006, 309 companies received these contracts compared with 279 in 2005.

Indian companies have bagged Rs 19,977 crore (Rs 199.77 billion) contracts from foreign companies, Rs 15,684 crore (Rs 156.84 billion) orders from state governments, Rs 13,041 crore (Rs 130.41 billion) orders from private firms and Rs 11,363 crore (Rs 113.63 billion) orders from state-owned firms.

The National Highways Authority of India has awarded Rs 7,642 crore (Rs 76.42 billion) orders for construction of roads in the country.

Construction and engineering sectors topped the list, accounting for 70 per cent of the orders received during the year.

Nineteen construction companies bagged orders worth Rs 29,122 crore (Rs 291.22 billion), while 17 engineering firms grabbed Rs 21,998 crore (Rs 219.98 billion) orders.

Electronics {Rs 5,331 crore (Rs 53.31 billion)}, steel {Rs 4,928 crore (Rs 49.28 billion)}, transmission line tower {Rs 1,660 crore (Rs 16.6 billion)}, pollution control equipment {Rs 1,566 crore (Rs 15.66 billion)} and power {Rs 1,325 crore (Rs 13.25 billion)} are sectors that received contracts more than Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion) each during the year. Of the 309 companies, 61 firms received orders of more than Rs 100 crore (Rs 1 billion); of these, 26 companies contract sizes were over Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion).

Of the top five orders received by Indian companies, two contracts were bagged by Larsen & Toubro and one each by Hindustan Construction Company [Get Quote], Siemens and Srei Infrastructure.