BBMP completes technical evaluation for rotary flyover in just a day

Bengaluru: The BBMP has proposed to build Bengaluru’s first elevated rotary flyover for providing easy access to the SMVT Bengaluru railway station from five different corners.

However, there is a fear that the Rs 380-crore project will see the same fate as the half-done Ejipura flyover. Reason: the civic body has completed the critical technical evaluation of four bidders — who took part in the tenders of the Baiyappanahalli project — in just a day’s time.

On July 4, tenders related to the construction of the four-lane elevated rotary along with access roads received four bids, including from NCC Ltd, Star Infratech and RNS Infrastructure.

As per the standard procedure, the BBMP started the technical evaluation on July 5. All four bidders reportedly cleared the technical rounds. What can be noted is that the civic body opened the financial bids the very next day, on July 6.

Generally, technical evaluation, where the competence of the bidder to take up the project is scrutinised, takes a minimum of two weeks as it involves assessing the past experience of handling similar projects, evaluating the financial heft of the company by cross-checking the records with chartered accountants and verifying the bank guarantees (BGs), etc. Only after the technical scrutiny, the bidders qualify for the financial evaluation.

Given the magnitude of the project, experts say the BBMP should have tread carefully in scrutinising the technical expertise of the bidders as it can make or break the project. Namma Metro takes three to four months to complete technical evaluation.

In his complaint to BBMP Administrator SR Umashankar and Chief Commissioner Tushar Girinath, former councilor NR Ramesh suggested that the civic body completed the tender formalities in "undue haste". He also alleged that the lowest bidder — Start Infratech — does not have the past experience of building an elevated flyover.

Complex work

The construction of the elevated rotary will be a complex work as the site location includes a defence property and a functional railway track.

The project consists of building elevated roads linking Banasavadi-Maruthi Sevanagar in one direction and Kammanahalli to Old Madras Road in another direction. The elevated rotary has been designed to connect the four arms of the crossroad with approaches. The construction of a pedestrian underpass at the rotary junction is also part of the plan.

'All bidders are large companies'

A senior BBMP official said the technical round was completed quickly as almost all the bidders were well-known construction companies and had also undertaken multiple projects in the city.

"The intent was to complete the pre-construction works in a time-bound manner so that the project takes off quickly. All companies have a turnover of over Rs 2,000 crore. They all had technically qualified. We aim to complete the project in two years," he said.