L&T Emerges as Lowest Bidder for Construction of 3 Buildings of Common Central Secretariat

Infrastructure firm Larsen & Toubro Limited on Monday emerged as the lowest bidder for the construction and maintenance of the first three buildings of the Common Central Secretariat under the Central Vista redevelopment project. According to the Central Public Works Department's bid documents, Larsen & Toubro Limited quoted around Rs 3,141 crore, which is 3.47 per cent less than the estimated cost. The firm submitted a total bid amount of Rs 31,41,99,87,657. The bid documents show that Tata Projects Limited quoted around Rs 3,546 crore, which is 8.96 per cent more than the estimated cost. These new buildings will come up on the plot where the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts is located. An official said that the Board of Central Public Works Department (CPWD), which has been executing the Modi government's ambitious Central Vista Redevelopment Project, will decide on the tender work award in the next few days. The official added that usually, the lowest bidder (L-1) is awarded the contract. Four infrastructure firms, Tata Projects, Uttar Pradesh Rajkiya Nirman Nigam Ltd, Larsen & Toubro Limited and NCC Limited had submitted technical bids for the construction of the three buildings of the Common Central Secretariat. Last month, the CPWD had revised the estimated cost of construction and maintenance of the three buildings of the Common Central Secretariat. The estimated cost of construction and maintenance of these three buildings had been revised to around Rs 3,254 crore from Rs 3,408 crore. Tata Projects Limited is constructing a new parliament building while Shapoorji Pallonji and Company Limited is executing the redevelopment work of the Central Vista Avenue stretching from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate. The redevelopment of the Central Vista, the nation's power corridor, envisages a new parliament building, a common central secretariat, revamping of the 3 km Rajpath from the Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, new office and residence of the prime minister, and a new vice-president enclave.