B-SMILE cancels tenders for two elevated corridor projects again, refloats on the same day with reestimates

A file photo of the Minerva Circle

The Bengaluru Smart Infrastructure Limited (B-SMILE) has once again cancelled tenders for two elevated corridor projects and reissued them on the same day with reduced estimated project costs.

In a notification issued on Thursday, the B-SMILE said the two tenders had been cancelled due to technical reasons, as instructed by the competent authority, which is the Urban Development Department (UDD) in this case.

The cancelled and reissued tenders include the elevated corridor from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle, a loop flyover from the Balagangadharanatha Swamiji flyover to Town Hall, and the elevated corridor from Anand Rao Circle to K.R. Circle. The second tender pertains to the elevated corridor from Sholay Circle to St. John’s Hospital on Hosur Road via Anepalya and Adugodi junctions.

Calls to Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials and B-SMILE Technical Director B.S. Prahallad seeking details of the “technical reasons” did not elicit a response.

However, a review of the tender documents revealed that the estimated project costs had been reduced. According to the documents, the Minerva Circle corridor is estimated to cost ₹511.48 crore, compared with ₹539 crore in the previous tender. The revised estimated cost of the Sholay Circle corridor is ₹515.28 crore, against the earlier estimate of ₹564 crore.

This is the second time the tenders have been cancelled within a month. Earlier, the tenders were called off after the Cabinet had approved the projects. The UDD had pointed out that the tenders followed a hybrid model and that prior approval for this had not been obtained. A committee that reviewed the tenders had also observed that the tender conditions might have restricted competition.

The development comes amid widespread criticism of the elevated corridor projects by citizens’ groups.