Theog - Hatkoti road: Govt sends fresh tender to WB - Shimla Now

With the Chinese company abandoning work on the 80-km-long Theog-Hatkoti-Rohru road, the state government has sent fresh tender documents to the World Bank, making a provision for dumping sites and quarries so that work on the road which is the lifeline of the apple belt can be completed at the earliest.

Fresh tender documents were sent to the World Bank which is funding the project earlier this week. With cost escalation over seven years, the project cost has now been worked out at Rs 303 crore. Only about 20 per cent of the work has been completed.

The contract had been given to the Chinese firm in 2007 for Rs 226 crore, almost Rs 80 crore less than the firm which made the second lowest bid.

It has now been decided to undertake the work in two phases, the first being the 46-km-long stretch from Theog to Khara Pathar and the second the 34-km-long stretch between Khara Pathar and Rohru.

Global tenders will be invited for the project once the documents are approved and sent back by the World Bank. This cumbersome process can take at least six months and only then can the work be started.

This time, the PWD authorities have made a provision for dumping sites in the tender document, which will be made available to the firm on payment. The Chinese firm had a tough time making arrangements with local residents for dumping debris.

Quarrying sites will be identified and made available to the firm at both ends of the road stretch so that there is no delay and work is completed within a short span of time.

“We have sent the fresh tender documents to the World Bank. The moment approval is granted, we will invite global tenders so that the road can be completed at the earliest,” said Pradeep Chauhan, PWD Engineer-in-Chief.

Work on the road had come to a halt after the Longjian Road and Bridge Limited Company could not accomplish it. The government decided to cancel the contract awarded to it and start the project afresh.

Work on the other road project being executed by the Chinese firm in Una is nearing completion. Work on the black thick top on about a 10-km-long stretch remains to be done.

The only area of concern on the Una-Mehatpur road is the 12 bridges. Only four are complete while work on four is underway and four have yet to taken up.

Source:http://www.tribuneindia.com/2013/20130217/himachal.htm