Uncertainty hangs over Ring Road Project
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 26 2025: With the land acquisition process not yet complete, nobody can say for sure when the Imphal Ring Road project will be completed.

The project is being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) which was initially sanctioned in the form of loan but it was eventually converted into a grant by the Government of India.

At first, ADB sanctioned the project for 51.23 Kms as a single package but the Government of Manipur divided it into three portions as package 1, package 2 and package 3 .

The project was divided into three portions with the belief that this approach would help in expediting the project given the likelihood of the same project being delayed due to non-completion of payment of land compensation.

Sources said that a notice inviting tender for the three packages was issued on March 20, 2023.The notice was also published in the Indian Express based at New Delhi.

As per the notice, the last date for submission of bids was June 19, 2023 (till 2.30 pm).

The technical bids were opened by a bid evaluation committee at 3.30 pm of the same day.

Then Project Director-cum-Chief Engineer of PWD (EAP) was the chairman of the bid evaluation committee while PWD (EAP) Senior Project Manager (C) was the member secretary.

The other members were PWD Additional Chief Engineer Ch Bishwachandra, PWD Chief Finance Officer Salam Somorendro and PWD (EAP) Project Manager Serto Teneilen Kom.

The entire tender process was studied at a meeting of higher tender committee headed by the Chief Secretary as chairman on January 24, 2024 .

Then Chief Secretary Dr Vineet Joshi was the chairman of the higher tender committee while Secretary (Works) Robert Singh Kshetrimayum and PWD Chief Engineer Ningombam Subhash were its members.

Joint Secretary (Finance) Anna Arambam was the member secretary.

Even though Project Director-cum-Chief Engineer of PWD (EAP) Y Joykumar was not a member of the committee, he attended the meeting, said the sources.

After minute deliberation, the higher tender committee awarded package 1 to AKELIK-KSIPL (joint venture) and packages 2 and 3 to VENSAR-GKC (joint venture).

Against the estimated cost of Rs 379.32 crore, AKELIK-KSIPL bid for package 1 at Rs 340.20 crore which was 10.31 per cent below the estimated cost.

AKELIK-KSIPL bid for package 2 at Rs 410.77 crore which was 11.51 per cent below the estimated cost of Rs 464.21 crore.

AKELIK-KSIPL turned out to be the lowest bidder for both packages 1 and 2.On the other hand, VENSAR-GKC bid for package 2 at Rs 497.11 crore which was 7.09 per cent higher than the estimated cost of Rs 464.21 crore.

VENSAR-GKC bid for package 3 at Rs 344.02 crore against the estimated cost of Rs 298.94 crore which was 15.08 per cent above the estimated cost.

VENSAR-GKC turned out to be the second lowest bidder for package 2 and lowest bidder for package 3 .

AKELIK-KSIPL qualified for either package 1 or 2 but it was not qualified for both the packages.

As such, the higher tender committee recommended AKELIK-KSIPL for package 1 while packages 2 and 3 were awarded to VENSAR-GKC.

According to CPWD rules, if the lowest bid happens to be 10 per cent above the estimated cost, the tender should be held afresh.

But no re-tender was held for package 3 .

If re-tender was held for package 3, other firms might have bid at lower prices, said the sources.

The higher tender committee also discussed about re-tender but the committee decided against holding retender on the ground that it would prolong the project period and raise project cost due to escalation of prices.

The committee was of the opinion that holding re-tender for any package would delay the other two packages, according to the sources.

Although the meeting decided against holding a re-tender on the ground that it would delay the project, land acquisition process for package 2 and package 3 still remains incomplete.

The land acquisition process is not yet complete for package 1 too.

As such, nobody can say for sure when the Imphal Ring Road Project will be completed, the sources added.

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