Indian firm wins contract to help build highway in Ethiopia

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An India-based consulting company has won a $1.46 million contract for consultation and supervision of the construction of the 133 km Kombolcha-Mille highway project in Ethiopia.

The company, Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. (ICT) is working in a joint venture with the Ethiopia-based Civil Works Consulting Engineers. It has been in Ethiopia for 17 years and has undertaken more than 25 road projects with the Ethiopian Roads Authority (ERA).

"We have worked with ERA on various projects like this and we never failed them, I guess that is why we are going to undertake this project as well," Saurabh Sharma, country manager of the company, told IANS.

"The fact that the people we are working with are polite and ready to learn keep us going back to work with them," he said adding, "Indian companies are known for delivering projects on time".

ICT India won the bid against five companies.

"ICT India offered a lower price and, at the same time, surpassed other competitors in the technical evaluation," an ERA official told IANS on condition of anonymity.

At this point, the road exists in the form of a gravel road. "It will thus be upgraded to asphalt, which will smoothly and efficiently accommodate traffic flow and enhance the region's economic activities," said the official.

"The project that connects the Amhara Regional State with the Afar Regional State will be funded with a loan acquired from the World Bank (WB)," he said.

The road is expected to be used as an import-export route as it would reduce the travel time to the Port of Djibouti.

Sharma said his company is planning to participate more in international projects to increase its business.

(Hadra Ahmed can be contacted at hadraahmed@gmail.com)