Rating Rationale
January 31, 2019 | Mumbai
Thane Municipal Corporation
Rating Reaffirmed; CCR Withdrawn
 
Rating Action
Total Bank Loan Facilities Rated Rs.130 Crore
Long Term Rating CRISIL AA/Stable (Reaffirmed)
 
Corporate Credit Rating CCR AA/Stable (Withdrawn)
1 crore = 10 million
Refer to annexure for Details of Instruments & Bank Facilities
Detailed Rationale

CRISIL has reaffirmed its rating on the long-term bank facility of Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) at 'CRISIL AA/Stable' and withdrawn its corporate credit rating on TMC. CRISIL's corporate credit ratings have a validity period of one year. The rating has been withdrawn after the expiry of the validity period.
 
The rating continues to reflect strong financial risk profile, robust debt protection measures and strong economic base. These strengths are partially offset by modest service arrangements with average cost recovery of services.

Key Rating Drivers & Detailed Description
Strengths:
* Strong financial risk profile marked by healthy revenue surplus, diversified revenue base and robust debt protection measures
TMC registered healthy revenue surplus of over Rs 500 crore annually over the past three years. Growth in property and water tax, and in other non-tax income such as town planning, led to a rapid growth in revenue. The diversified revenue insulates the corporation from downturn in revenue due to regulatory or policy changes. The growing revenue and robust revenue surplus resulted in strong liquid surplus of over Rs 1000 crore as on December 31, 2018.
 
The corporation has healthy debt protection metrics marked by interest coverage of over 40 times as in March 2018. In the past, capital expenditure (capex) was majorly funded through revenue surpluses, resulting in low reliance on borrowings.
 
CRISIL expects TMC's financial risk profile to remain strong as the state government has been providing adequate compensation against loss of LBT revenue.
 
* Strong economic base driven by strategic location and proximity to Mumbai, the country's financial capital
TMC has a strong economic base, driven by its strategic location, diversified industrial base, and strong educational resources and infrastructure. It has a diversified economic base that includes industrial, commercial, and residential segments, which insulates TMC from downturns in industrial segments. Because of its proximity to Mumbai, it has become a preferred destination for residential and commercial developments. This provides significant opportunity to TMC for increasing revenue from town planning charges, property tax collection, and other allied fees and charges.
 
Weakness:
* Modest service arrangements
Service arrangements are modest because of low sewerage coverage and solid waste management. TMC has adequate water supply covering over 98% of its area. However, unaccounted-for water is high, accounting for 31% of the total water supply. In the solid waste management service, the corporation has good door-to-door collection of 99%, but low segregation and treatment. Most of the waste is dumped in a landfill. However, in the past two years, the corporation has focussed on improvement in service delivery and has improved solid waste management (reflected in 45% segregation of waste at source). 
 
* Low although improving cost recovery of services
TMC's collection performance has not been uniform across areas, especially slum areas. Moreover, despite reform initiatives to improve service arrangements, it has not been able to recover the cost of providing these services (cost recovery of less than 50%) due to low charges of the services. The property tax collection efficiency, however, have been improving, with collection efficiencies of 70-80% in the past three years.
Liquidity

Liquidity is marked by healthy operating surplus of over 40% of revenue receipts annually on an average over the past fiscals, and cash and bank balance of over Rs 1000 crore as on December 31, 2018. Operating surplus was Rs 1040 crore in fiscal 2018 against minimal debt obligation. TMC is likely to maintain its cash and bank balance and continue to generate healthy operating surplus that will be sufficient to meet future debt obligation and part-fund capex. 

Outlook: Stable

CRISIL believes TMC's financial risk profile will remain comfortable over the medium term, backed by healthy revenue surplus.
 
Upside scenario
* Significant increase in overall surplus
* Considerable improvement in services provided, such as sewerage, drainage, and solid waste management
* Increased collection efficiency and cost recovery of services
 
Downside scenario
* Steep fall in revenue or large, debt-funded capex, weakening the financial risk profile, particularly liquidity
* Irregularity or decline in receipt of grants from the Maharashtra government

About the corporation
TMC was established on October 1, 1982, under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act, 1949. Before 1982, TMC was classified as a municipal council. It has jurisdiction over 147 square kilometres and provides a range of civic services to 18.2 lakh people (source: 2011 census).
 
Under the MMC Act, TMC's obligatory duties include maintenance of water supply, sewerage treatment and disposal, and development and maintenance of primary infrastructure in Thane. In addition, the corporation also provides certain discretionary services, including transportation.

Key Financial Indicators
As on / for the period ended March 31   2018 2017
Revenue Income Rs crore 2367 2160
Operating Surplus Rs crore 1040 1088
Operating surplus/debt % 440 420
Interest coverage Times 47.2 38.91

Any other information: Not applicable

Note on complexity levels of the rated instrument:
CRISIL complexity levels are assigned to various types of financial instruments. The CRISIL complexity levels are available on www.crisil.com/complexity-levels. Users are advised to refer to the CRISIL complexity levels for instruments that they consider for investment. Users may also call the Customer Service Helpdesk with queries on specific instruments.
Annexure - Details of Instrument(s)
ISIN Name of Instrument Date of Allotment Coupon
Rate (%)
Maturity Date Issue Size
(Rs Cr)
Rating Assigned
with Outlook
NA Proposed Long-Term Bank Loan Facility NA NA NA 130 CRISIL AA/Stable
Annexure - Rating History for last 3 Years
  Current 2019 (History) 2018  2017  2016  Start of 2016
Instrument Type Outstanding Amount Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Date Rating Rating
CCR  0.00  Withdrawn      22-01-18  CCR AA/Stable  31-01-17  CCR AA-/Stable      CCR AA- 
Fund-based Bank Facilities  LT/ST  130.00  CRISIL AA/Stable      22-01-18  CRISIL AA/Stable  31-01-17  CRISIL AA-/Stable      CRISIL AA-/Stable 
All amounts are in Rs.Cr.
Annexure - Details of various bank facilities
Current facilities Previous facilities
Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating Facility Amount (Rs.Crore) Rating
Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 130 CRISIL AA/Stable Proposed Long Term Bank Loan Facility 130 CRISIL AA/Stable
Total 130 -- Total 130 --
Links to related criteria
CRISILs Bank Loan Ratings - process, scale and default recognition
Rating Criteria for Municipal and Urban Local Bodies

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