Bihar fails to attract a single bid for mega-project

Not a single bidder has shown interest in the Bihar's mega project - Ganga Expressway - along the banks of the Ganga in Patna modelled on Mumbai's Marine Drive, said officials on Monday.

"Despite much efforts by the state government to attract private investment, not a single bidder has shown interest in the Ganga Expressway," an official said.

The state government had postponed the date for launching the financial bid four times in past two months due to cold response of the private investors, another official said.

Bihar road construction minister Nand Kishore Yadav admitted that none of the shortlisted companies came forward for the project. "No one has submitted their bids till date", Yadav said.

He said 12 firms had responded to the expression of interest floated for the Ganga Expressway project. Nine of those firms were shortlisted for financial bidding stage.

In August, the state government had approved the much-awaited 21.5-km long Deedarganj to Digha Ghat Ganga Expressway project.

The government also cleared the decks to acquire over 200 hectares of land for the project, the official said. The estimated cost of the project would be Rs 2,234.46 crore (Rs 22.344 billion). It is likely to be completed within three years.

In the first phase, the driveway will connect Digha and Didarganj, a stretch of 21 km. In the second phase, it will go to Fatuha, a distance of 18 km. About seven kilometres will run on an elevated platform.