ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has yet to open financial bids for two mega projects, namely the Serena and PTCL Chowk interchanges, more than a month after three construction firms submitted technical bids for the projects.

The CDA had opened technical bids on August 12. The next step was to open financial bids but despite the passage of 40 days, the bids have not opened. After the CDA introduced stringent criteria for technical bids to pick a firm with rich experience in the swift execution of projects, most companies could not qualify.

Officials said that since the CDA wanted to complete the two projects in time, it introduced tough criteria for the bidders.

Out of 100 marks for qualification, 25 marks were set for those companies which had completed similar types of projects within 100 days over the last five years in Pakistan, with a minimum cost of Rs1,500 million.

Financial bids not opened after more than 40 days; official says process may be slower but has not come to halt

Similarly, 10 marks were set for those firms that had completed such projects with a minimum value of Rs1,500 million during the last five years. However, after opening technical bids for these projects, it seems the CDA is in no hurry to start the projects.

Sources said the civic agency had received bids from only three contractors for both projects. The firms are Maaksons, Habib Construction Company and a joint venture of Maqbool and Colson.

Sources said that besides the abovementioned three private firms, the National Logistics Corporation (NLC) and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) could have easily qualified for technical bids as they had executed several such projects during the last five years.

Recently, the CDA approved PC-I for two mega projects worth over Rs8 billion. Underpasses on Srinagar Highway and Khayaban-i-Suhrawardi as well as three loops will cost Rs4.56 billion whereas the construction of an underpass and flyover at the junction of Jinnah Avenue and 9th Avenue near F-8 (PTCL Chowk) will cost Rs3.9 billion.

Both projects once started will be completed in six months. It is relevant to note that these two sites are sources of constant traffic jams, particularly during rush hours. The CDA has been making announcements for several years, however, the current management of the CDA a few months ago finally decided to start these two projects.

The Serena Interchange project was set to begin last year but at the eleventh hour, then-Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (during the PDM government) refused to inaugurate it. He had sought the credentials of Railcop, which had won the project because of its lowest bid of Rs2.1 billion. Now, the PC-I of the new project is worth Rs4.5 billion along with a new design and additional works.

The officials said that the civic agency had allocated funds for these two projects in the budget for this fiscal year and the CDA will execute these projects through its funding. CDA’s media director Shahid Kayani admitted that the process was underway at a slower pace, insisting it had not been shelved.

He said that due to the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Islamabad, the civic agency was focused on the renovation of the Jinnah Convention Centre. “However, the work on these projects is expected to commence soon after the SCO meeting,” he added.

Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2024