ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has opened financial bid for construction of the metro bus depot near Zero Point for electric buses. A bid worth around Rs1.5 billion turned out to be the lowest against the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) cost of Rs1.6 billion.

“The lowest bid is 8.6pc lower than the NIT cost,” an official said.

He said as per PC-I, the project would be completed in six months time and besides other facilities, the depot would have 20 charging points with capacity of charging 40 buses in one go (with double guns holders).

In December last year, the CDA floated bids of the said project, with the lowest bid received at around Rs 2 billion, which was 93pc above than the then NIT cost. However, after resistance from some CDA officials and subsequent report of a government-owned consultancy firm, the Engineering Consultancy Service Punjab, the CDA’s management decided not to accept the bloated bid.

Then, a new tendering process was initiated and now the CDA received the lowest bid of Rs1.5 billion for the same scope of work.

“It seems there was something fishy behind the previous bidding process as for the same scope and quantum of work, CDA is receiving the lowest bid of Rs1.5 billion after one year,” the official said.

CDA officials said three bidders participated in the bidding process and a joint venture of two companies submitted the lowest bid.

The CDA is going to construct the depot along Srinagar Highway at Zero Point for metro buses, which will be operated on 13 routes. Out of the 13 routes, the bus service is already operating on four routes while in the coming days, buses will ply on five new routes as well.

Then, according to the CDA, the remaining four routes will also be started. The CDA through its contractor has a fleet of 160 electric buses.

In the absence of a proper depot, the CDA started operation of buses from the Convention Centre before slightly shifting it to H-9.

However, officials said after construction of Zero Point depot, all operations would be carried out from this depot, adding that “the Zero Point depot will also have control and command system, real time monitoring of buses, data centre”.

Sources in the CDA said Iesco had already provided power supply for Zero Point depot. They said electricity would be provided through alternative feeders to ensure uninterrupted supply of electricity for charging facilities.

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2024