As many as 15 global infra building biggies including Samsung Construction and China Construction company, have joined the race with domestic companies such as L&T and Reliance Infrastructure for bagging the contract for constructing India’s largest convention centre entailing a whopping investment of Rs.26,000 crore. The government has invited the request for proposal by December 8, under the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) mode, shortly after Union Cabinet’s nod earlier this month. The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) held a pre-bid meeting to gauge the interest of the market players, wherein the project managed to grab global attention. The EPC contract will be finalized by the end of December this year. It would involve development of trunk infrastructure along with exhibition-cum-convention centre and internal road network system, and underground car parking facilities. The first phase will commence in January 2018 and is likely to be completed by December 2019. Convention and exhibition facilities will be operated and managed by experienced global players with facilities matching global standards. Several international exhibition organizers from Germany, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong and Dubai have evinced keen interest in operating the centre, the official sources said.
