VIJAYAWADA: With a view to launching the construction of the permanent Secretariat in the second half of the year, the AP Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) on Friday invited tenders for the five proposed towers. The estimated cost of the five towers is pegged at Rs 2,176 crore, and the officials said that the developer would be identified by June.
According to information, the proposed General Administration Department building to house offices of the Chief Minister and chief secretary, will have 46 floors, and is expected to cost `530 crore. It will be built to the south of Pala Vaagu in the proposed Governance City, along with two more 40-floor towers. There will be a helipad above the CMO. The remaining two towers, which will also have 40 floors, will be built on the other side of the rivulet. If all goes as planned, the five towers are expected to be ready by the end of 2019.
“We have invited tenders. They will be available in three packages from May 2. Bids for the same can be submitted till May 16. So, the contracting firms will be identified by June, and works will be launched immediately,” an official from the CRDA said. The secretariat towers are designed based on diagrid concept that obviates the need for construction of pillars that eats up a considerable amount of space. “For the first time, we are going in for the construction of high-rise buildings without pillars. This will result in having more space to use,” the official added. The elevation of the buildings is designed in tune with the Kalamkari art.
The group of towers are being built in a sprawling 32 acres with a super built-up area of 69 lakh sqft. Each building will also have facilities for all the visitors and delegates.Meanwhile, the Amaravati Development Corporation Limited (ADCL) has initiated the process of identifying Project Management Consultants for the proposed 3.2-km iconic bridge across River Krishna, and for the effective implementation of the flood mitigation project in the capital.
Grand edifice