After cancelling the bidding process last year, State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation of Uttarakhand Limited (Sidcul) has now received three new bids for developing logistic hubs in the hill state.
With the development of key industrial estates in Haridwar and Pantnagar, Sidcul had chalked out plans to provide logistic support and comfort to the industries through these two proposed hubs.
After the cancellation of the bidding process, Sidcul invited fresh bids this year where three companies — Container Corporation of India Ltd (Concor), Om Logistics and TCIL — sent their bids for the purpose of establishment of the two hubs. While Concor has sent its bid only for the Pantnagar hub, the others are participating in the bidding process for both the Pantnagar and Haridwar hubs.
“We are currently holding pre-bid meetings and thereafter we will finalise the process,” said S Ramaswamy, principal secretary industries. He said he was positive about the bidding process this time.
In 2009, about 10 technical bids were received by Sidcul for the purpose of logistic hubs. Last year, the Sidcul board, comprising top government officials, expressed reservations over certain clauses due to which the bidding process did not make any headway. Some of these companies wanted to make upfront charges in a staggered manner by adopting annuity model, which was not accepted by the board.
Sidcul, the nodal agency for industrial development in the hill state, had decided to set up two modern logistic/transport hubs, having facilities like warehouse, truck parking, dormitories, 24-hour canteen/restaurant, fuel station, service centres, office complexes for service providers and hotels. An investment of Rs 50 crore was proposed for the two logistic hubs.
The demand for logistic hubs by industries is growing mainly due to the comfort of businessmen and industrialists visiting the two places. Sidcul has also mandated IL&FS Ltd to undertake a comprehensive process and management for the appointment of developers who will implement the projects in the public private partnership model.