NHAI floats tender for Kanpur-Lucknow expressway project

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has floated a tender for the Kanpur-Lucknow Expressway project, and the tender opening date is October 15.

Soon after, on the website, the tender was uploaded, 14 construction agencies were scanned. The opening date of the tender is October 15, according to NHAI sources.

The sources said that to finalise the construction agency within 45 days, NHAI has issued a deadline to its officials.

By opening technical and financial bids, the contract will be awarded. After that, the NHAI will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU), and the construction agency is anticipated to begin the work in 150 days from the signing date of the MoU. The project is expected to commence before the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

NHAI has decided to build the expressway on the hybrid immunity model in which the Center will provide 40% of the money to the agency in four parts, while the leftover amount will be paid in 20 years. The construction agency will have to watch after the maintenance work of the expressway till then.

NHAI will award the contract to the agency, which will get a Rs 2,500 crore loan from the banks.

This will be the first expressway in Uttar Pradesh, which will be connected to Lucknow ring road to reduce traffic load on the main road.

The sources said that the NHAI would obtain land for this expressway from 31 villages of Unnao and 11 villages of Lucknow. In the construction of the expressway around Rs 4,500 crore will be spent, while Rs 900 crore in land acquisition.

NHAI project director NN Giri said that the authority would guarantee that the work on the project begins before the UP Assembly elections. It is assumed that by 2024, vehicles will be able to use the expressway.

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