BENGALURU: After receiving poor response for its tender to construct a flyover at the Central Silk Board, the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) has now decided to stretch its deadline to rope in more bidders.
The bid was supposed to be finalised on August 29. The fresh notification has fixed October 1 as the deadline for applications and finalisation. The tender deals with loops and ramps to be put in place along a length of 2.84 km at Central Silk Board Junction. It is estimated to cost `33.54 crore. Road works and other allied works for Phase-II’s Reach 5 line (R V Road to Bommasandra), is also part of the contract.
Speaking to The New Indian Express, Managing Director, BMRCL, Ajay Seth said, “We received only a single bid for the tender. In case of an emergency situation, the Karnataka Transparency in Public Procurement Act permits us to award it to the sole bidder. However, we have sufficient time as work is yet to begin on the Silk Board stretch. So, we have decided to go in for another tendering.”
Speaking about the reasons for the unenthusiastic response, Seth said the tender in the initial round was a bit stringent. “We have made a few modifications in the newly-released one.”The proposed four-lane flyover will run for a 4-km distance from Silk Board Junction to Ragigudda Temple in Jayanagar 9th Block. It is expected to ease the nightmarish traffic blocks at Silk Board. A loop that would connect BTM Layout with Electronics City, is part of the project.
Past traffic studies for the Silk Board Junction (2016 data) revealed that 12,000 vehicles pass through this spot in an hour with the average speed here being 4.5 km/hour and it is among the most congested parts in the city.
The MD had recently told TNIE that the `4,202-crore elevated Metro line that will connect KR Puram and Silk Board Junction along the Outer Ring Road (Phase-2A) will be ready for operations only in 2021.