PESHAWAR: The financial proposals received by the Peshawar Development Authority for the Rs49 billion Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit project were opened during a special ceremony at a local hotel on Thursday.

The ceremony was attended by special assistant to the chief minister for transport Malik Shad Mohammad Khan Wazir, secretary transport and mass transit department Dawood Khan, director general Peshawar Development Authority (PDA) Hassan Saleem Watoo, relevant officials and representatives of the companies, which took part in the exercise.

Five construction companies, including joint ventures, submitted sealed bids for the Peshawar BRT, which were opened before the BRT procurement committee, representatives of the aspiring bidders and journalists.

Five companies and JVs had submitted financial proposals for the BRT Package 1, which was divided into two reaches i.e. I and III.

Consultants to examine proposals, which will later be sent to ADB for final decision

The Reach-I starts in Chamkani locality on the eastern fringes of the city and ends at Firdous Chowk, while the Reach-III starts at Amn Chowk and runs up to BRT terminus near Cancer Hospital in Hayatabad.

Four companies, including China Gansu International Corporation and Techno-Economic Cooperation (CGICTEC) Limak Insaat Sanayive Ticaret AS-Zahir Khan Brothers (ZKB) JV, SGEC-Maqbool-Calsons JV and ALKE-AKKROD JV, submitted financial proposals for Reach I and III.

The China Gansu International offered the highest bid of Rs9.3 billion for the Reach-I and the SGEC-Maqbool Calsons JV the lowest valuing Rs7.6 billion.

CGICTEC, Limak-ZKB, ALKE & AKKROD JV, and CR21G-Maqbool-Calsons JV submitted bids for Reach-III of the project.

The CGICTEC offered the highest bid, while the CR21G-Maqbool-Calsons JV offered lowest bid of Rs10.8 billion.

For the Reach-II of the project, which is also most challenging part as it passes through city’s busiest parts three companies and JVs including CR21G-Maqbool-Calsons JV, Limak-ZKB JV and China Gansu International Corporation had offered their financial proposals.

CGIETEC offered highest bid of Rs13.58 billion, while Limak-ZKB JV offered Rs12.8 billion for Reach-II, however, CR21G-Maqbool-Calsons (JV) which had it submitted lowest bids for the Reach-III pulled out of the bidding process at the eleventh hour.

Maqbool-Calsons–SGEC JV had also offered lowest bid for the Reach-I of the project.

PDA director general Hassan Saleem Wattoo told reporters that the consultants would check technical and financial aspects of the proposals and would finish the task today (Friday).

“We will later forward the financial proposals to the Asian Development Bank, which is funding the project for final decision. We have to give two weeks to successful bidders for the start of work,” he said, adding that efforts would be made to finish the project within the stipulated time of six months.

Special assistant to the chief minister Malik Shah Mohammad told participants that the BRT project’s execution was a challenge for the provincial government.

“We’re committed to completing the project in six-eight months,” he said.

Mr Shah Mohammad said the tendering process would be finalised within a week, while work on the project was likely to be launched between Aug 14 and 21.

He blamed the federal government for the delay in the launch of the BRT project.

The special assistant said the centre fooled the province for around two years by first insisting it was going to allow the use of the railway land for the bus project and then refusing to provide that land.

The 26 kilometers long BRT corridor is likely to cost Rs49.34 billion with the ADB providing the government with soft loan for it.

Published in Dawn, August 11th, 2017