NHIDCL allots balance work on Jorhat-Jhanji National Highway-37 stretch; Four packages awarded to three construction companies

Guwahati: Finally, the New Delhi headquarters of National Highways Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL) has awarded the balance work on the 37.80-km Jorhat-Jhanji four-lane stretch on the National Highway-37 worth Rs 351 crore to three construction companies.

NHIDCL has divided the work of the balance work on the NH-37 stretch from Jorhat to Jhanji into four packages and set the three companies the target for completion of the work by June 2024.

Earlier, NHIDCL had terminated its agreement with a construction company for the slow progress of four-lane work on this stretch in upper Assam. After the termination of its agreement with the construction company, NHIDCL re-invited tenders for the construction of the balance work.

According to sources, the stretch from Jorhat to Jhanji on Nh-37 comprised a single package, and the work was originally awarded to Vijeta Projects—Sweety Infrastructure (JV). Now, the balance work has been divided into four packages to expedite the work.

The first package has been awarded to Sadguru Engineers & Allied Services Pvt Ltd, the second to Binni Construction, while the third and fourth packages have been awarded to MP Agarwala Pvt Ltd and Sadguru Engineers & Allied Services Pvt Ltd respectively.

The total award cost of the balance work will be Rs 351 crore—the first package is worth Rs 108.08 crore, the second will cost Rs 99 crore, the third Rs 81 crore, and the fourth has been pegged at Rs 63 crore.

According to sources, the work on the 37.80-km Jorhat-Jhanji four-lane stretch on the National Highway-37 was originally awarded to Vijeta Projects—Sweety Infrastructure (JV) on November 5, 2021. NHIDCL gave the JV company the appointment date of February 9, 2022, since that is when the work would start. According to the original schedule of the package, the work was to be completed by August 8, 2023. However, the NHIDCL observed that the works were moving at a snail’s pace, and the NHIDCL had to face the wrath of the public. NHIDCL then communicated with the JV company, asking it to speed up the work, but to no avail. The JV company failed to achieve several milestones, comprising portions of work to be completed at specific intervals of time. On July 31, 2023, the cumulative physical progress of the project was 35.48 percent. NHIDCL decided to issue notice to the JV company, communicating its intention to terminate the existing agreement. Taking all pros and cons into consideration, NHIDCL Headquarters, New Delhi, finally terminated its work agreement with the JV company and started a re-bidding process.

The new target of June 2024, set for completion of the balance work, is expected to benefit road users and residents alike, as they have been suffering untold misery due to the non-completion of the work on time.

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