Tunnel completion in 3.5 years
A Concession Agreement has been signed for completing the 6.5 km long Z-Morh tunnel in Jammu and Kashmir which includes construction, operation and maintenance of the tunnel with approaches on NH-1 at Srinagar-Sonmarg-Gumri Road from 61 km to 89.30 km on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) Annuity basis.
The 2-lane bi-directional tunnel with parallel escape tunnel will be completed in 3.5 years at a cost of Rs.2,378.76 Crore.
The concessionaire has been awarded DLP Period/Operation & Maintenance Period of 15 years from the Completion Date. The earlier contract is being foreclosed in terms of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways ‘Guidelines Principles for Resolution of Stuck National Highway Projects’ dated 9 March 2019.
Bids for the project were re-invited on 24 June 2019 with a TPC of Rs.2,378.76 crore on BOT (Annuity) basis.
Four bids were received by bid open date of 29 Aug 2019. After receiving necessary administrative approval and financial sanction, the project award was sanctioned by the Ministry on 17 Dec 2019. The LoA for the project was subsequently issued on 19 Dec 2019 to APCO Infrastructure Pvt Ltd.
The concession was signed in the presence of Minister Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport and Highways Gen (Retd) Dr V K Singh, Secretary Road Transport and Highways Sanjiv Ranjan, and other senior officers from the Ministry, said the Ministry on 17 Jan 2020. fiinews.com
