KMP expressway may see the light of the day, finally

Hanging fire for six years, the proposed 136-km Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) expressway project is finally back on the track. The cabinet sub-committee on infrastructure headed by chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday approved the bid of M/s Essel Infraprojects Limited, the lowest bidder, for constructing the 83-km Kundli Manesar section of the expressway on built, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The contract for constructing 53-km Manesar-Palwal section was earlier allotted in March.

TWO-PHASE CONSTRUCTION

The work on the project will now be resumed in two phases -- Manesar-Palwal section and Kundli-Manesar section. While Manesar-Palwal section will be completed in nine months, the Kundli-Manesar section will be completed in two-and-a-half years MANESAR-PALWAL

STRETCH TO OPEN FIRST
The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), which is the executing agency for the project, had earlier in March allotted work for the completion of 53-km Manesar-Palwal section on item rate mode to a joint venture of M/s KCC Buildcon and Dilip Buildcon private limited. While the 53-km Manesar-Palwal section is scheduled to get completed by January 2016, the likely date for completion of 83-km Kundli Manesar section is August 2018.

BID ACCEPTED
The sub-committee on Tuesday approved the bid of M/s Essel Infraprojects Limited, the lowest bidder, for constructing the Kundli-Manesar section of the expressway on built, operate and transfer (BOT) basis. The other four companies which participated in the bidding process for the Kundli-Manesar section included M/s Shapoorji Pallonji Roads Private Limited, M/s IL and FS Transportation Network Limited, M/s Ashoka Buildcon Limited and M/s Oriental Structural Engineers Private Limited.

SIX-LANE E-WAY NOW
HSIIDC managing director (MD) Vineet Garg said the project involves construction of a six-lane expressway instead of the earlier proposed four-lane road. He said the estimated total project cost of the project as per the calculation of net present value of the lowest bid would come to about `1,680 crore, which is less than the estimated project cost of Rs 1,863 crore.

Garg said that after the recommendation of the financial consultants, the sub-committee recommended the allotment to the lowest bidder. The Committee of Secretaries on Infrastructure, headed by the chief secretary, had also recommended the lowest bidder on July 9 for the consideration and approval of the cabinet sub-committee.

The construction work of the expressway was earlier allotted to M/s KMP Expressway Limited in January 2006 with the commercial operation date fixed for July 2009. However, the concessionaire failed to complete the work even up to December 2014. The Supreme Court on January 30, 2015 directed the state government to award the contract for the project to a new concessionaire. Subsequently, the concession agreement of M/s KMP Expressway Limited was terminated on March 19.

EXPRESSWAY: FACTFILE
Project length: 136 km
Earlier deadline: July 29, 2009
Fresh deadlines: Manesar-Palwal section by January 2016 and Kundli-Manesar by August 2018
Estimated cost: `2,000 crore (approx)
Why project got delayed: Failure of the contractor, inability to keep flow of funds
Current status: Work allotted for 53-km Manesar-Palwal section and 83-km Kundli-Manesar section