The Hindu Business Line : Bengal invites bids for land reclamation

WEST Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation, a special purpose company set up by the West Bengal Government to plan and develop a new township at nearby Rajarhat, has invited expressions of interest from dredging firms, both Indian and foreign, to reclaim about 500 hectares with materials to be dredged from an assigned area in the Hooghly river.

The dredged material, estimated at 16 million cubic metres, has to be transported hydraulically (by pumping) through a pipeline network of approximately 20 km in length to reach the reclamation area.

The filling requirement will be about 1.5 m of average depth with scope for upgradation for future requirements.

To be eligible for the job, the bidder must have the experience of executing two dredging works, inclusive of shore disposal, of not less than Rs 100 crore during the last five years. Experience in dredging and reclamation in India will be an added qualification.

The bidder must also have dredgers of appropriate capacity and other allied handling and pumping equipment required for the job.

The annual turnover in past three years must not be less than Rs 100 crore and the net worth (without revaluation of reserves) must be more than Rs 100 crore.

Individual companies, joint ventures, consortiums and special purpose vehicles may participate in the expression of interest.

Interestingly, this is not for the first time that expressions of interest are being invited from dredging firms for the job.

Bids were invited a couple of years ago but nothing much happened despite several dredging firms showing interest. WBHIDCO reportedly did not go ahead with the project because of its own problems.

The situation, it is felt, has changed since then. The proposed 20-km pipeline for transportation of the dredged material has to pass through a congested area, which, it is presumed, must have been cleared by now.

Dredging circles said that WBHIDCO has now become much more flexible in its approach. Several conditions incorporated in the earlier tender have been relaxed.

For instance, it earlier insisted on Rs 500 crore turnover of the prospective bidder.

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