Segmental Wins Saser La Tunnel’s DPR Work in Ladakh
May 28, 2022 Update: Segmental Consulting has been issued LOA with a contract value of Rs. 5,49,10,000.00
May 18 Original Post: Segmental Consulting & Infrastructure Advisory Pvt. Ltd. last week emerged as the lowest bidder to prepare Saser La Tunnel’s Detailed Project Report (DPR).
This strategic tunnel in Ladakh by the Border Roads Organization (BRO) will be at least 10 kms long and connect Sasoma with Murgo through the glaciated Saser La (view on Google Maps).
The project is part of the Indian government’s plan to build 100 km of tunnels to provide all weather road connectivity to border areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and Line of Control (LOC) with Pakistan.
BRO had invited tenders for this consultancy service in December 2021 with a Rs. 9,49,68,000 estimate and 548 day (1.5 year) completion deadline. Technical bids were opened in March to reveal 2 bidders.
Financial Bid Values
| Firm | Bid (Rs.) |
| Segmental Consulting | 5,49,10,000 |
| RITES | 14,68,37,000 |
Brief Scope: Consultancy Services for Preparation of Detailed Project Report and providing Pre-Construction activities for Construction of Highway Tunnel including approaches across SaserLa pass on Sasoma-Saserla-Brangsa Road, in the Union Territory of Ladakh
The difference between both bids is quite staggering. Segmental’s bid was just 57.8% of BRO’s estimate, so a contract should be awarded in the coming weeks without a long financial bid evaluation period.
As shared in the past, here’s Nitin Gokhale’s take on the importance of this route:
…the new axis will connect Sasoma to DBO via the high mountain pass at Saser La (see map). In the past this road has been attempted but was abandoned because of difficult terrain and limited working season. Temperatures at Saser La (over 18000 feet) often dip to minus 40-45 in winter. Once the Sasoma-Saser La road gets activated, India will have an alternate axis to access Depsang plains and not just depend upon the DS-DBO road that mostly runs parallel to the LAC.
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– TMRG
How were they able to bid so low? Do they have a good track record or will they be like CRRC whose bids are much lower than estimate and then they fail to deliver. I hope such a scene does not repeat here.
BRO should first check the track record of this company and if it is good only then they should be allowed.
Good question for Segmental’s management to answer 🙂
BRO evaluated their technical bid and found it to be compliant with the necessary track record required.
Relatively new company, incorporated 2009. However, they have specialized in tunnel and highway construction. They have many projects going on.
the low quotation ( more than 25% variation from estimated cost is detremental for the project.
Really a very important project for the local people there and the Indian Army!
Hope this project gets completed ASAP!
JAI HIND!
Status/details of under-construction tunnels in the Himalayas by BRO & NHIDCL.
By BRO
Arunachal Pradesh
• Sela Tunnel: Tunnel-1 (single tube) + Tunnel-2 (twin tube)
• Tunnel Length: 980m + 1555m
• Likely completion by: October/November-2022
https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/sela-tunnel-project-to-be-completed-by-yearend-101652639310065.html
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By NHIDCL
UT of Jammu & Kashmir
• Z-Morh Tunnel
• National Highway: NH-1
• Tunnel Length: 6.5km
• Cumulative Physical progress: 44%
• Likely completion by: Dec-2023
• Contractor: M/s APCO Infratech Pvt. Ltd
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UT of Jammu & Kashmir
• Zojila Tunnel (Bi- directional, single Tube) + Nilgrar Tunnel-1 (twin tube) + Nilgrar Tunnel-2 (twin tube)
• National Highway: NH-1A
• Tunnel Length: 14.15km + 468m + 1.976km
• Cumulative Physical progress: 11.99%
• Likely completion by: Sept-2026
• Contractor: Megha Engineering & Infrastructures Ltd
—————————————————-
Uttarakhand
• Bi-directional Silkyara Bend- Barkot Tunnel with escape passage
• NH-134
• Length: 4.859 km
• Cumulative Physical progress: 38.76%
• Likely completion by: Sept-2023
• Contractor: M/s Navayuga Engineering Co. Limited
—————————————————-
Nagaland
• Kohima-Bypass Road Tunnel
• National Highway: NH 29/ NH-02
• Tunnel Length: 500m
• Cumulative Physical progress: 25.09%
• Likely completion by: Dec-2022
• Contractor: Ms Bharat Construction Pvt. Ltd
—————————————————-
Sikkim
• 2-lane Chisopani Traffic Tunnel
• National Highway: NH-10
• Tunnel Length: 250m
• Cumulative Physical progress: 94.50%
• Likely completion by: May-2022
• Contractor: M/s Nagyan Construction Pvt. Ltd
—————————————————-
Sikkim
• Tunnel (300m) at Rabangla (Singtam- Tarku-Rabangla-Legship- Gyalshing)
• National Highway: NH-510
• Tunnel Length: 300m
• Cumulative Physical progress: 6.71%
• Likely completion by: Oct-2022
• Contractor: Nagyan Construction Pvt. Ltd.
—————————————————-
UT of Jammu & Kashmir
• Bi-directional tunnel at KM-83
• National Highway: NH-244
• Tunnel Length: 495m
• Cumulative Physical progress: 21.80%
• Likely completion by: Oct-2022
• Contractor: M/s Beigh Construction Co. Pvt. Ltd.
—————————————————-
UT of Jammu & Kashmir
• Uni-Directional (1.574 Km) Khellani Tunnel on NH-244 (Goha- Khellani Package III)
• National Highway: NH-244
• Tunnel Length: 1.574km
• Cumulative Physical progress: 17.63%
• Likely completion by: May-2023
• Contractor: APCO Infratech Pvt Ltd
—————————————————-
https://nhidcl.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/All-States.pdf