Bidders for Maharashtra expressway shortlisted

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corp on Thursday announced 13 companies as lowest bidders for the construction of Nagpur-Mumbai Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (MSM) expressway for ~470 billion. The project is expected to cut down travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from 18 hours to 8 hours.

Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC) on Thursday announced 13 companies as lowest bidders for the construction of Nagpur-Mumbai Maharashtra Samruddhi Mahamarg (MSM) expressway for a total value of Rs 470 billion. “We have received 13 lowest bidders (L-1s) out of 18 eligible ones to build 13 of the 16 packages of the 700-km expressway,” MSRDC said in a statement.

As a strategy to ensure smooth implementation of high-cost projects, the state and central governments in all their recent project-award activities have chosen to break down projects into packages. “Construction for the MSM expressway has been divided into 16 packages and the bid process for the remaining three packages is under progress,” the statement said. Lowest bidders include Sadbhav Engineering, Reliance Infrastructure, L&T, NCC, Gayatri Projects, Afcons Infrastructure and Dilip Buildcon.

“With the outcome of the financial bids, we have completed yet another milestone for this mega project. We shall now evaluate the bids. After due diligence over the next few days, we would issue work orders,” said Radheshyam Mopalwar, vice-chairman and managing director of MSRDC.

The project will connect 10 districts, 26 talukas and 392 villages in the state. As on date, the government has acquired 81 per cent land, according to the press statement.

The project is expected to cut down travel time between Nagpur and Mumbai from 18 hours to 8 hours. The project is expected to be complete by the end of 2019.