Another month to bid for Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass

Bidders for the Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass, being built at a cost of Rs 1,878.31 crore, have got another month to submit their bids. The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has revised the tender document and extended the last date for submission of online bids to September 18, said officials.

In a communication issued by the NHAI General Manager (Technical) — HR, PN Gawasane, a copy of which is with The Tribune, the bid due date for the project has been extended from August 19 to September 18.

According to the revised bidding schedule, the online bid submission close date and time will be September 18 at 11 am while the technical bid opening will take place on September 19 at 11:30 am.

Recently, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change accorded in-principle approval for the diversion of 17.57 hectares covered under the project for non-forestry purposes. The NHAI earlier floated a fresh tender to invite bids for the construction of the 19.2-km six-lane bypass.

The project, which will bypass the heavy rush on the overlapping portion of the four-lane National Highway (NH-5) and NH-7, passing through the highly urbanised areas of Zirakpur and Panchkula, will be awarded by October and the construction will begin in March next, with two-year completion period.

The ministry has made it clear that the proposal shall be considered for final approval under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, after receipt of the compliance report on the fulfilment of the specified conditions. “Transfer of forest land shall not be affected till final approval is granted by the government in this regard,” the ministry conveyed to the state government.

Revised schedule for online bidding

According to the revised bidding schedule, the online bid submission close date and time will be September 18 at 11 am while the technical bid opening will take place on September 19 at 11:30 am.