Hubli-Dharwad BRTS Floats Fresh Tender to Buy 130 Buses
By Pramodkumar Vaidya - HUBLI
Published: 10th February 2014 09:01 AM
Following a lukewarm response to the global expression of interest (EOI) invited for procuring 130 premium quality buses for the Hubli-Dharwad Bus Rapid Transit System (HDBRTS) corridor project, the HDBRTS Company has floated fresh tenders.
In December 2013, HDBRTS had invited an EOI to procure 30 premium quality articulated and 100 premium standard length BRTS buses for the BRTS project being implemented under sustainable transport urban project of Central government.
However, barring Volvo, none showed interest.
Since buses are being acquired under the JNNURM project, only four global companies - Tata Motors, Volvo, Scania and another automobile company based in China - are matching the technical specifications.
The reason for the poor interest was attributed by HDBRTS authorities to stringent bidding conditions. However in the fresh tenders no condition was relaxed. In fact one or two new conditions were added, said HDBRTS officials.
“Earlier we had thought of finalising one of the companies that bid for the EOI. Since only one company showed interest, we decided to call a full-fledged tender rather than going through the EOI route once again”, HDBRTS managing director C M Noormansoor told Express. Noormansoor clarified that no condition was relaxed as demanded by the companies in the fresh tenders. On the contrary two other conditions such as installing intelligent transport system (ITS) applications and to comply with Urban Bus Specification-II issued by the Ministry of Urban Transport have been included, he said.
As the project is being implemented under the World Bank sponsored sustainable urban transport project, the norms laid down needed to be adhered strictly. So, a fresh tender has been floated hoping that more companies would take part in the process. Project specifications have been stated in the tender to avoid any further confusion.
Noormansoor said the technical bid of the tender would be opened on Thursday and financial bids of eligible bidders would be opened later. “We want to wind this tender process at the earliest”, he said.
