VIJAYAWADA: The fresh tender floated by the State Water Resources department for execution of Rs 275-crore-worth Package 65 works of Polavaram irrigation project has received a positive response. Six companies have filed bids to take it up by the time the department closed the bidding process on Thursday. The six companies include major infrastructure firms such as Patel Engineering Ltd, Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd (MEIL), Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, Max-Infra (I) Ltd, Hyderabad-based RRCIIPL-WCPL Consortium and Hyderabad-based MRKR-SLR (joint venture).
Sources told TNIE that three of the six companies, including MEIL, Patel Engineering Ltd and Afcons Infrastructure Ltd, have filed bids as they are also interested in the execution of Polavaram headworks and hydel power project, tenders for which were invited afresh after terminating the contract with Navayuga Engineering Company Ltd (NECL) in July.
Officials from the department said that the bids would be opened on Friday for the technical and financial evaluation of the firms and the quotations filed. “Of the six, three firms are also keen on taking up the balance headworks and hydel power project for which a single tender worth Rs 4,987.55 crore was invited,” a senior official explained.
Another reason for the positive response is said to be the rates at which the package 65 was tendered. It was given at 2017-18 standard schedule of rates (SSR), the officials noted. The package 65 works include a 919-m-long irrigation tunnel, head regulator, navigation lock, and excavation works related to approach, exit and navigation channels.
The bidding process for the balance headworks and hydel power project will conclude on Saturday at 11 am. “The bids will be checked at 5 pm on the same day. The technical evaluation will be done on Monday,” another official explained.
After identifying the lowest qualified bidder, the department will conduct reverse e-auction, where the lowest bid would be made the benchmark and those who quote lower than that would be awarded the contract. The reverse tendering process is scheduled to be held after October 1.