3 companies shortlisted for 56-km national highway

Three companies have been short listed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for construction of the 56-km stretch of national highway from Sunakhala to Ganjam in south Orissa, a portion under the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) of the Centre’s National Highways Development Project (NHDP). 

The companies which have been short listed in the technical bid include Hindustan Construction Company Limited, Andhra Pradesh based Madhucon Projects Limited and Bhubaneswar- based ARSS Infrastructure Projects Limited. The final selection will be done after the completion of financial bid. 

"We expect the financial bid to be completed by the first week of November and the work to be started by the selected contractor by the first week of January next year”, said PR Behura, the project director of NHAI.

The work on construction of the 56-km highway was discontinued since April this year as the NHAI had expelled the contractor which was running behind schedule in its work. 

The highway construction work worth Rs 176 crore was awarded to PCL-STICCO, a joint venture company on August 20, 2001 and it was asked to complete the work within 32 months. "The contractor had virtually abandoned its work activities on site since July 2006 due to which NHAI was forced to go for the fresh tender", the project director added. 

Meanwhile, the 52-km GQ work from Ganjam in Orissa to Ichhapurma in Andhra Pradesh is underway and it is expected to be completed in November next year. The work was awarded to Orissa based joint venture company KMC-RK-SD. 

The Rs 242.76 crore highway construction work was originally awarded to Bhumi Highway-DDBI, and the work commenced on June 15, 2001. However, this contractor was expelled by NHAI on January 14, 2004 as its performance was not satisfactory and KMC-RK-SD, the joint venture company was selected for the highway construction work, sources said. 

It may be noted that out of the 5,846 km GQ project under NHDP, construction work for 5,650 km has already been completed while work on the balance 196-km stretch passing through Orissa is pending.