BDA officials have held preliminary discussions with an Israeli firm over the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, giving much-needed momentum to the long-pending infrastructure work.
Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) engineers who met with the Israeli delegates on Friday said the firm wanted to understand the features of the project.
“Our engineering wing explained the project’s intricacies. We also detailed the land acquisition process and where we stand now.
"They also sought information on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and its implications on the project,” BDA Commissioner Rajesh Gowda said.
Sources said at least three other companies have expressed interest in the project. “In the last six months, at least three international firms contacted the BDA,” said a senior BDA official.
Regarding the tender, the official said: “This is a global tender and had been prepared under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. We have submitted the design to the government and are awaiting approval.”
The senior official told DH that the BDA gave two options to the government regarding the revenue.
“Since the firm must pay for land acquisition, besides bearing the construction cost, we should either let them collect the toll for 50 years or reduce it to 30 years by taking a cut in the BDA’s revenue share. The government can opt for either,” a senior BDA official said.
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