Simplex Infrastructures is likely to begin work on the recently-awarded Hyderabad Elevated Expressway Project in Andhra Pradesh, by the first week of September 2006. Speaking to ProjectsToday, senior officials from Hyderabad Urban Development Authority said that the letter of acceptance for developing the project on EPC basis was awarded to Simplex Infrastructures in the second week of August 2006. The Rs.436 crore contract involves development of the 11.5 km four-lane expressway on EPC basis within 20 months.

Elaborating on the project, HUDA officials stated that Simplex would be given two more weeks (up to around end-August 2006) for fulfilling the "performance-based criteria", immediately after which the notice to proceed (NTP) would be issued.

Simplex was selected from a tendering process initiated in April 2006. It may be mentioned here that the expressway project was earlier conceived to come up on BOT basis, for which even EOIs were invited in March 2006. However, as HUDA officials explained, the EPC route was adopted in favour of the BOT route, due to some land-related issues.

Meanwhile, the response to tenders floated in July 2006 for appointment of project supervision consultant has been encouraging.  According to HUDA officials, the authority has received twelve responses and the tender will be awarded in the first week of September 2006, dovetailing with Simplex Infrastrucutres beginning construction work.

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