NHIDCL extends Rfp bid due date for Zojila pass tunnel project in Jammu & Kashmir

NHIDCL has extended the request for proposal (RfP) bid due date for selection of the engineering, procurement and construction  (EPC) contractor for the balance works of the Zojila pass tunnel project from April 8, 2019 to April 23, 2019. The project is expected to be completed within 84 months from the commencement of construction and will have a maintenance period of 120 months. The project involves construction of the 14.31 km two-lane bidirectional Zojila tunnel with a parallel escape (egress) tunnel over the Zojila pass from km 95 to km 118 on the Srinagar-Leh road stretch of National Highway-1D in Jammu & Kashmir. It is a part of the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan and aims at providing an all-weather road to ensure undisrupted round-the-year connectivity between Ladakh and Srinagar. Earlier, the EPC contract for the project was awarded to IL&FS Engineering and Construction Company Limited at a cost of Rs 48.99 billion. However, the contract has now been terminated by the central government as the company failed to commence any major construction work on the project.