SCTL gets three proposals in multi-level car park re-tender

Thiruvananthapuram: Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd (SCTL) has received three tenders for the implementation of the automated multi-level car parking project (MLCP) at Palayam.
The project had to be retendered after the firm which won the bid and started execution backed out owing to differences with SCTL regarding cost escalation.
SCTL needs to sign a pre-closure agreement with this firm before moving ahead with the new tender process. The firm has demanded Rs 90 lakh for the works undertaken so far, it is learnt. SCTL is negotiating with the firm to reduce the amount.
The initial proposal envisaged a basement floor structure dedicated for parking about 270 two-wheelers with an approximate area of 2,168sq m.
The proposal included ramps and an automated multilevel multi-grid parking system to accommodate 568 cars. The proposal also contained allied facilities such as toilets, electrical installations, including DG back up, and fire fighting systems with sump tanks.
When the project was retendered, SCTL revised the two-wheeler parking space for 220 and for 300 cars. EV charging stations were also included in the request for proposal document in the retender.
As per the design parameters, parking at ground floor level shall be without any power consumption and it was mandated that the plan shall consider future development of the land area for expansion of the vehicle parking capacity, and limit the present development in accordance with prevailing norms.
In 2020, the project was awarded to a private firm at a cost of Rs 30.21 crore. The firm had completed two test piles and load tests and requested SCTL to provide price escalation. SCTL however issued notice to the contractor citing that there was no provision for price escalation.
The firm then approached the high court to appoint SCTL CEO as the adjudicator for price escalation.
However the court directed SCTL to proceed with the bank guarantee revocation.
The board meeting had earlier decided to direct the CEO to revoke the bank guarantee submitted by the firm and to retender the work.
The contractor had expressed unwillingness to continue the work without escalation of price.
Meanwhile, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan reviewed the progress of the Smart City works. He directed the authorities to complete the works as per schedule, especially the Smart Road works, since delay in works affects the public, it is learnt.