L&T will provide its domain knowledge and software expertise in return forstrategic stakes in each of the portal. The company has identified threeareas such as engineering services, procurement of engineering goods and oilfor striking B2B alliances.

The move comes close on the heels of the company launching a finance portal -- - trade.com. The company has already created a web site to synergise heactivities of its electrical business.

"L&T is talking to various players to join hands for doing B2B exchanges.This will help in driving down the cost and faster decision making. Thealliances will be formalised shortly," said L&T senior vice president(operations) JP Nayak.

As part of the restructuring initiatives, the company has decided to go infor web enabling of all its businesses. The company has also taken a majorforay into Internet infrastructure business. Its wholloy-owned arm, L&TCommunications, is building up the private sector-controlled IP (internetprotocol) backbone across the country.

It is belived that L&T will be launching a pilot optical fibre cable projectin Delhi followed by projects in southern and western India over the nextfew months.

L&T announced its plan to become a major internet services provider (ISP)and network services provider (NSP) earlier this year. For this, the companyhas set up L&T Netcom -- the ISP arm -- and L&T Communications for the NSPbusiness. L&T expects a Rs 2,000-crore turnover from its IT-related businessby 2006.

The company plans to invest Rs 450 crore in these businesses in phasesdepending on the market and business needs. However, according to industrysources, the IP backbone project will call for huge investments which thecompany may raise through collaborations.