Deadline for bids for GMLR extended, again

To get more bidders for the construction of two tunnels for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) extended the bids

To get more bidders for the construction of two tunnels for the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road (GMLR), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) extended the bids submission dates for the seventh time on Tuesday. The last day of submission is March 18. The bidding for the construction work started in September 2019. In six months, the bidding dates have been extended seven times with potential bidders, including domestic and international tunnel construction firms, asking for more time.

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According to BMC officials, extensions are being given as potential bidders are requesting more time for completing the tendering process. Also, the civic body wants more competition to ensure the best quotations at minimal rates. Another reason for delays is the coronavirus outbreak, said BMC officials.

“Major tunnelling companies are from China and owing to the coronavirus scenario in the country, there are issues like representatives unable to travel or not able to complete the required paper-work,” said a BMC official.

P Velrasu, Additional Municipal Commissioner, said, “We are giving more time to increase competition for two weeks, and not due to coronavirus. However, it could be possible that several potential bidders are facing issues due to the virus outbreak as many tunnel construction companies are from China, but our intention for giving extension is to have more competition.”

The tunnel will run 20 meters below the ground level of the national park up to 200 meters at selected spots. The GMLR is a 14-km-long east-west connector, beginning near the Western Express Highway at Goregaon, and ending near Nahur station in the East. Further, for GMLR project, the BMC has allocated Rs 300 crore in its upcoming budget for 2020-2021 compared to Rs 100 crore allocated in 2019-2020.