For the Rajpath redevelopment project, Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited has emerged as the lowest bidder, quoting Rs 477.08 crore, which is 4.99% less than the estimated cost, as per bid documents of Central Public Works Department (CPWD). For the Central Vista Avenue/Rajpath redevelopment project, the second-lowest bid amount of Rs 488.78 crore was quoted by Tata Projects quoted. This is being executed under the government’s Central Vista revamp project, worth Rs 13,500 crore. An official was quoted in a PTI report saying that soon after hosting the Republic Day parade on 26 January 2021, the historic Rajpath will go for redevelopment work. The redevelopment work may be finished before the 2022 Republic Day parade.
According to the official, the redevelopment of Rajpath includes the development of underpasses, underground amenities blocks, large scale stone work as well as horticulture work. CPWD in its notice inviting tender said that the Central Vista Avenue redevelopment work will be done in a phased manner so that some parts of Rajpath are available for visitors. The Central Vista redevelopment project, which is being said to be the nation’s power corridor, envisages a common central secretariat, a new triangular Parliament building, revamping of the 3-km Rajpath, from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new Vice President Enclave, new residence of PM as well as PMO.
Besides these two infrastructure firms- Tata Projects Limited and Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited, NCC Limited as well as ITD Cementation India Limited had also qualified for the opening of financial bids. A bid amount of Rs 490.59 crore was quoted by ITD Cementation India Limited, while Rs 601.46 crore was quoted by NCC Limited. Last year, in the month of September, Tata Project had won the tender work for the development of new Parliament building. A separate supplementary agreement for comprehensive maintenance as well as operation of services will be drawn for five years’ period with the contractor once the redevelopment of Rajpath is over, CPWD said.
On Thursday, green signal was given by Supreme Court to the Central Vista redevelopment project, holding there was no infirmity in the grant of environment clearance as well as permissions for change of land use. The officials said the new Parliament building’s construction work will be started soon by CPWD once it gets permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee.