Critical component of CPEC: Only one bid received for Sukkur-H'abad Motorway

ISLAMABAD: The government has received poor response to the international tender for Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway (M-6), a critical component of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which would be completed on Build Operate Transfer (BOT) basis with an estimated cost of Rs165.679 billion, it is learnt.

A senior member of the National Highways Authority (NHA) revealed that only one bid was received for Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway. The government is evaluating the legal aspects whether it can go with single tender or go for re-tender, the official added.

The Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway project envisages construction of 306kms long, 6-lane wide, access-controlled motorway. The motorway is proposed to be a high-speed toll road facility for efficient and safe transportation, which will start from Hyderabad (end of Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway M-9) and terminate at Naro Canal (Start of Sukkur-Multan Motorway M-5).

The motorway is proposed to be a high-speed toll road facility for efficient and safe transportation, which will start from Hyderabad (end of Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway M-9) and terminate at Naro Canal (Start of Sukkur-Multan Motorway M-5).

The project alignment passes through Jamshoro, Tando Adam, Hala, Shahdadpur, Nawabshah, Moro, Dadu, Naushehro Feroze, Mehrabpur, Rasoolpur, Larkana, Khairpur, and Sukkur.

For the Sukkur-Hyderabad Motorway project an advertisement was released in the national and international print media on October 10, 2016, inviting Expression of Interest (EoI) regarding pre-qualification of firms.

The NHA bid opening/evaluation committee opened technical proposals on February 14, 2017. Subsequent to the finalisation of technical evaluation, financial proposals of all the three bidders were opened on March 7, 2017, and scheduled completion of the project in three years at a cost of Rs175 billion.

However, after assuming power the incumbent government shelved Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M-6) project. The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) recently approved the project at a cost of Rs165.679 billion, and the paper work of Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway is being completed.

The NHA official further stated that the government was taking up construction of other projects of the CPEC, and tenders had been invited including the important project of Kuchlak. He said that tenders were under evaluation and once completed would improve road connectivity under the CPEC network.

The NHA is developing epoch-making CPEC project gradually, said the official, adding that that road infrastructure played a vital role in socio-economic uplift of the country, and that the responsibility for construction and maintenance of motorways, national highways and strategic roads was assigned to the NHA.

A major chunk of trade traffic and transportation of passengers was associated with the NHA road network, said the NHA official, adding that maintenance units of the NHA had started working for repair and maintenance of roads affected by the previous spell of heavy rains.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020