VIJAYAWADA: Owing to the poor response from the contractors and a change in the scope of work in the construction of Experience Centres in Amaravati, the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) has reinvited tenders for the project. The estimated cost has increased by 40 per cent.
While the three Experience Centres were estimated to cost `5.4 crore according to the tenders invited in June, they will be built at a cost of close to `8 crore as per the tenders floated earlier this week. “The cost escalation of Experience Centres is primarily due to the change in the scope of work. We had earlier planned to construct temporary structures. Now, we are going for permanent (RCC) buildings.
The other reason is that there were no takers for the project as most of the contractors have little experience in RCC construction. So, we have revised the rates and invited fresh tenders,” an official from the infrastructure wing of the APCRDA explained.For the record, the APCRDA had invited tenders for construction of three Experience Centre in Zones 1, 7 and 10 of the capital region with an estimated cost of `5.47 crore.
The centres are aimed at giving a glimpse of how Amaravati will shape up, besides providing the farmers, who parted with their lands under the Land Pooling Scheme (LPS), a projection of how the returnable plots that will be given to them will be developed. According to the officials, all the three Experience Centres will have same facilities, including a screening centre.
“There will be a gallery as well where milestone achievements will be showcased. Besides facilities for the public, there will be chambers for CRDA officials, including the commissioner,” the official explained. Once the tenders are finalised, which is expected to be done by early October, the Experience Centres will be constructed in four-six months.