Source : The Hindu Date : 11.06.2009

Work on phase I of Outer Ring Road to begin by February

Staff Reporter

CHENNAI: Work on phase I of the proposed Outer Ring Road (ORR) from Vandalur to Nemilichery is expected to begin by February 2010.

Sources in the Tamil Nadu Road Development Company (TNRDC), managing associate for the project, said that five bids have been received for the Rs.864-crore project. The two companies that submitted the bids for the 29.65-km corridor are Nagarjuna Construction Company Ltd. and SOMA Enterprises Ltd, both Hyderabad-based. Three consortiums — two in Hyderabad and one in Bangalore — are also in the fray.

A total of 11 companies had bought the bid documents of which the five submitted bids. The TNRDC would ascertain the technical and financial status of the bidders. The bids of those who clear the technical evaluation would be opened in the third week of June.

The TNRDC would then take a month to process and issue a formal letter of acceptance to the company, the sources said.

Following this the concession agreement would be signed between the company and the TNRDC.

With the successful bidder being given project support of Rs.300 crore, it would have 180 days to arrange its share of Rs.564 crore to be invested in the road.

As the road would have to be developed from the scratch, a lot of filling, levelling and checking flood levels would be required.

Land acquisition has already been completed by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority.

The ORR is to be laid on a develop, build, finance, operation and transfer (DBFOT) on an annuity basis.