Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project II

The public works, ports and inland water transport department of the Government of Karnataka has invited expression of interest from consultants for the development of Karnataka State Highways Improvement Project II. The tender also envisages hiring a financial advisor to facilitate private sector financing and domestic borrowing in the road sector.
Tender for civil works will be floated by mid-September, and work on the project is expected to start by early 2009, Capt. R.R. Doddihal, Project Director, PWD, told Projectmonitor.
Capt. Doddihal said that the state highway project envisaged the improvement of 3,411 km road at a cost of Rs 6,245 crore. Last year, Government of India sought loan assistance of $300 million each from IBRD (World Bank) and Asian Development Bank.
The Karnataka government has applied for a grant from Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility towards hiring the financial advisor to provide technical assistance and advisory services for developing a comprehensive financing plan to improve the state's main road network through BOT-Toll annual concession and public sector funding.
Further, Capt. Doddihal said that the department would finalise the consultant within a month from the date of opening the tenders. The consultant will be given three months to submit the report.