Govt to award contract for ORR via Swiss Challenge: AP CM

Hyderabad, Mar 17 (UNI) Andhra Pradesh Government will go through 'Swiss Challenge' over the next three weeks to award contract for the prestigious 160-km eight-laned Outer Ring Road (ORR), which will be the gateway for the Hyderabad International Airport (HIAL), Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy said.

Talking to newspersons here yesterday he said sixteen companies have been short-listed for the first phase of the ORR.

Dr Reddy said the Government will finalise the contract to link the Hitech City with HIAL, and a Letter of Intent for the second-phase to Chinese Construction and Engineering has been issued to the Hong Kong-based EPC Contractor, involved in construction of the Passenger Terminal Building at HIAL.

The Government proposed to throw them to 'Swiss Challenge', he said after reviewing the progress of work at HIAL, expected to be operatioal by March 2008.

He informed that a Swiss Challenge is a bidding process that allows other investors to offer a lower cost for the project than the original proponent.

Dr Reddy said the Government wanted the Hyderabad Urban Develolpment Authority (HUDA) to undertake the first phase of ORR, too, as it was alloted the second-phase through Swiss Challenge.

He said the completion of the ORR, on or before April two, 2008, would synchornise with the opening of the airport at Shamshabad, about 30 kms from here.

The Rs 1760-crore HIAL project is being built under public-private partnership with the Government holding 13 per cent stake.

The Chief Minister said the new airport will be completed by November 2007, and it will be operational by March 2008.

Dr Reddy also laid the foundation stone for 12-km Elevated Express Highway (EEH) which is to be built over the next 18 months with contracts for Rs 600 crore to be awarded through Swiss Challenge.

The EEH will link HIAL Shamshabad airport, leveraging the ORR, he added.

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