The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) issues a tender worth Rs 218 crore for the Gandhi Ashram redevelopment project. AMC has kicked off the Rs 1,200-crore project. The tender also includes the restructuring of the Chandrabhaga river and a tributary of the Sabarmati that runs through the ashram precincts at the Sardar Patel Stadium in West Zone
A large chunk of the expense will be for earth filling followed by work on the Chandrabhaga, on the lines of a riverfront.
“Earth filling is expected to cost Rs 48 to Rs 50 crore, as the site is nearly three metres lower in elevation compared to the surrounding areas of Ranip,” said an AMC official. This section of the project — the Chandrabhaga Drain Development — where the river will be embanked by landscaped areas, footpaths and carriageways on banks, involves work worth Rs 30 crore to Rs 40 crore, the official added.
Three bridges, each with a width of around 24 metres, are also proposed to be constructed at different locations along the running length of the river. AMC’s technical bid document notes that the work must be completed in two years. Imposition of force majeure conditions also include the declaration of an epidemic, incorporated in the amended tender document, given the Covid-19 pandemic.
A pre-bid meeting for the development of the zone was held on September 14 that had four to five participants, said a senior AMC official aware of the developments.
The tender document, accessed by The Indian Express, notes that 25 per cent of the proposed 322-acre land will be made available at the time of work order and the rest shall be allotted according to its progress.
So far, 66 of the 263 families living in the Gandhi ashram premises have been rehabilitated. The number is expected to touch 100 by the end of this week, said a member of a committee formed specifically to rehabilitate the residents. The Ahmedabad collector is the chairperson of the committee.
An official, involved in the redevelopment plan, broadly categorised the scope of work into five key areas — earth filling, road network, drinking water network, sewage network, and restructuring of the Chandrabhaga river.
Meanwhile, the tender document specifies the scope of work under seven key areas. The project includes road works, footpaths and pavements, bridge construction, water supply sump with 38 lakh litre capacity, a water supply pump house, a 15-km water supply network, sewerage and stormwater network, and stone pitching and lining for road, bridge and canal bank protection.
The document also notes that the project does not require environment clearance “as it is under infrastructure development in Town Planning Scheme”.
The Chandrabhaga river channel has a mix of sewage water and stormwater. The tender awardee will have to clean up the river and ensure that the sewage is diverted to an existing sewerage treatment plant (STP) by constructing a check dam on the upstream side of the project and laying sewerage line up to the existing Jalvihar STP.
The general criteria of eligibility for the bidder say they “shall have experience of similar work” of infrastructure-based projects, completed between 2014-15 and 2020-21.
“This is a depository work. The money will be given by the Central government to the Gujarat government and then to the AMC. The payment will not be from the original grant of the municipal corporation. The project is 100 per cent funded by the Central government,” an AMC official said.
The tender awardee will have to provide a site office of 1,000 sq feet for AMC officials and the office should be constructed before commencing construction. The last date for submission of the online tender was extended to October 5 from September 28.
In a document listing the queries raised at the pre-bid meeting and AMC’s replies and clarifications to the same, it was noted that working drawings would be provided in a phased manner as per the sequence of construction.