PWD set to hire consultant for mega infra push of 1,400 km roads of Delhi

A Delhi government project to upgrade 1,400 km of roads is picking up pace with the PWD set to hire a consultant to frame bid documents for the mega infrastructure push, officials said Friday.

The Delhi Public Works Department has already floated a tender to hire the consultant, who will hired for four months.

The tender requires the consultant to be empanelled with the National Highways Authority of India or any central or state government ministries or departments.

The consultant should have also carried out similar consultancy services or transaction advisory services for infrastructure project including highways, water supply, urban infrastructure projects costing at least Rs 500 crore on Public-Private-Partnership or Engineering-Procurement-and-Construction or Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), according to official documents.

The consultant will be responsible for framing bid documents for two projects.

One pertains to construction and repair of all components of roads except main carriageway under PWD with comprehensive maintenance including desilting, cleaning, sweeping washing of footpath etc of the entire row for 10 years, while the other project is relate to proposal of strengthening and recarpeting of stretches.

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had announced the massive infrastructure project in January this year and Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot allocated the budget for it later.

In his budget speech, Gahlot said the revamping of roads will include time-bound maintenance of the central verges, streets and footpaths. The project will also involve fixing of potholes, defining lane markings and painting of zebra crossings, encroachment removal and regular cleaning of footpaths.

"This entire initiative of upgrading and beautifying Delhi roads is being planned with a 10-year horizon and with an anticipated expenditure of Rs 19,466 crore. For the coming financial year, Rs 2,034 crore is proposed for this scheme," he said.

The officials documents show the selected consultant will have to frame RFP/bid documents for two types of works, which PWD Delhi intends to execute on PWD roads after call of bids.

The transaction advisor will prepare effective bid documents for call of bids as item rate tender/HAM contract agreement for the proposed projects. The objective of this transaction advisory service is to produce a financially viable and effectively implementable bid documents considering various risks and implications related to these proposed projects so as to ensure appropriate returns to the executing agencies as well as protecting the interest of Government, while successful execution of this projects, according to the documents.