Prequalification invited in September, 2001 for two tunnel contracts, one for contractors from Norway, Sweden and Nepal, and the other for international bidding as part of the 27 km drinking water tunnel from the Melamchi River in Sindhupalchowk district to northeast Kathmandu. Shortlist of contractors by February, 2002. Construction to begin from April, 2002 and completion in 2006. Swedish International Development Agency to donate NPR1.96 billion. Total project cost estimated at US$464 million. Asian Development Bank and the Nepal government are financing about a quarter of the cost each. Other financiers include Norway's development agency NORAD, and the Nordic Development Fund. Detail design by Norplan. Visit www.norplan.com 47/01.Invitation for prequalification, deadline 2nd May, 2008 for the construction and completion of headworks and tunnel construction (contract MDS/DT/01). The main scope of works include construction of a diversion tunnel, approximately 26.3 km long with cross section between 12 to 20 square metres, to be excavated by drill and blast method, construction of headworks intake structures and access roads, and hydraulic steelworks. Contact Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, Executive Director, Devkota Road, Baneswor, Kathmandu, Nepal, Tel. +977 14475303, fax +977 14468962, e-mail procurement@melamchiwater.org. Visit www.melamchiwater.org/busi_opp.htm 16/08.Pöyry together with Hifab International and its Nepalese partner Multi Disciplinary Consultants has been awarded a consultancy contract by the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, comprising design and construction supervision services for the headworks and a 26.3 km-long water diversion tunnel. Pöyry's share of the contract value is about EUR7 million. The tunnel will divert 170 million litres of water daily from the Melamchi river to the Kathmandu valley to ease chronic water shortages in that area. Construction of the water tunnel will start by beginning of 2009 and should be completed by 2013-14. Visit www.poyry.com, www.hifab.se, www.multinepal.com/mdc/home.php and www.melamchiwater.org 30/08.

The Norwegian National Rail Administration and Societa Italiana per Condotte d’Acqua S.p.A (Condotte) have signed the first EPC contract, value EUR150 million, for the Follo Line Project. The drill/blast contract, one of five EPC contracts in this Norwegian mega project, covers excavation by drill/blast and drill & split techniques. The contract is located in the Ekeberg Hill, close to Oslo Central Station, where a three track tunnel is to be built combining the inbound Ostfold line, the inbound Follo Line and the outbound Follo Line. The new double track line will be crossing existing tunnels and infrastructure. The contract comprises the construction of the twin tube Follo Line tunnel between the exit of the three track tunnel and 1.2 km into the mountain/hillside, including the cross passages between the tunnels – and the crossing of Ekeberg Oil Depot and re-routing of a river in tunnel. The contract also includes construction of the south portal as a concrete culvert beneath a road, rebuilding of a ventilation tower and a railway bridge. Visit http://www.jernbaneverket.no/en/startpage1/News/First-tunnel-contract-signed/ and http://www.condotte.com. 09/15.

The Norwegian National Rail Administration and Societa Italiana per Condotte d’Acqua S.p.A (Condotte) have signed the first EPC contract, value EUR150 million, for the Follo Line Project. The drill/blast contract, one of five EPC contracts in this Norwegian mega project, covers excavation by drill/blast and drill & split techniques. The contract is located in the Ekeberg Hill, close to Oslo Central Station, where a three track tunnel is to be built combining the inbound Ostfold line, the inbound Follo Line and the outbound Follo Line. The new double track line will be crossing existing tunnels and infrastructure. The contract comprises the construction of the twin tube Follo Line tunnel between the exit of the three track tunnel and 1.2 km into the mountain/hillside, including the cross passages between the tunnels – and the crossing of Ekeberg Oil Depot and re-routing of a river in tunnel. The contract also includes construction of the south portal as a concrete culvert beneath a road, rebuilding of a ventilation tower and a railway bridge. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=144854-2015, http://www.jernbaneverket.no/en/startpage1/News/First-tunnel-contract-signed/ and http://www.condotte.com.  09/15.

Contractor Veidekke has completed Oyberget power station with 2 x 95 MW turbines consisting of dam, intake structure, powerhouse, transformer chamber and run-of-river 3.28 km-long pressure tunnel and 750 m-long tailrace tunnel, both at 45.3 sq m cross section together with associated 327 m-long x 35 sq m access adit and 12 sq m pressure relief shaft, as part of Ovre Otta hydro scheme. 258,000 cu m excavation in competent gneiss using Atlas Copco Rocket Boomer L3 C and L2 C drillrigs and Dyno Nobel SSE explosives. Veidekke currently working on Framruste power station, upstream of Oyberget, which will produce 76 MW from a single turbine driven by water from Raudalsvatnet along a 5.8 km-long headrace with 1.4 km-long tailrace, both 21.3 sq m section. Completion of 218,000 cu m underground excavation scheduled for June, 2005. Visit www.veidekke.no, www.dynonobel.com and www.atlascopco.com 20/05.

Pakistan's federal government approved the 969 MW Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project at a cost of PKR128.4 billion in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. The project will be built by a consortium consisting of China Gezhouba Group Corp. (CGGC) and CMEC China. The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) had already approved award of the contract to the CGGC-CMEC joint venture in March 2007 at the contract price of PKR90.9 billion. The project will also be executed through Neelum-Jhelum Project Co., a government-owned unit, which has since been set up and the debt ratio of the project will be around 50/50. The project envisages the diversion of the Neelum river at Nosairi in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, through a 32.5 km headrace tunnel to a power station. Three tunnels would be built under the project design: the first two would be 15 km long and 40 square metres and the second would be 17 km long and 80 square metres. The project will be completed in eight years. Read E-News Weekly 2/2006. Visit www.gzbgj.com/english/index.asp and www.cmec.com 52/07-01/08.The joint venture Neelum-Jhelum Consultants led by MWH and consisting of MWH, Pakistani firms Nespak, ACE and NDC, and Norwegian firm Norplan has been selected by the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) to provide design, construction drawing preparation and construction management services for the Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric project. The contract is worth PKR4.1 billion and covers a period of eight years. The project, expected to cost approximately PKR130 billion to build, will include a concrete gravity diversion dam, a headrace tunnel, a surge chamber and an underground powerhouse that will have four turbine-generating units. The total length of headrace tunnel is 28.5 km. A 15.1 km stretch of the tunnel from the Nauseri will be constructed as a twin tunnel system each with a cross-section of 42 square metres. The remaining headrace tunnel down to the surge chamber will be a single tunnel having a cross-section of 82 square metres. The tunnels are shotcrete lined with a concrete invert. The tunnel crosses the Jhelum river approximately 380 m below its bed. The tunnel will be accessed by seven adits for removal of excavated spoil. The surge chamber consists of a 340 m-high riser shaft. A 820 m-long surge tunnel, four steel-lined penstock tunnels, 150 m long and having 3.8 m internal diameter will also be constructed. The underground power station will house four units with a total capacity of 969 MW. Located in the Muzaffarabad district in the state of Azad Jammu Kashmir, approximately 138 km from Islamabad, the Neelum-Jhelum project is one of several major projects planned to increase Pakistan's hydroelectric generation capabilities to meet the growing energy needs of the country. Click pk/21. Visit www.wapda.gov.pk, www.mwhglobal.com, www.nespak.com.pk and www.norplan.com 25/08.

International tender, deadline extended to 10th March, 2008 for the sanitary improvement project of Lima's marginal areas, lots 1, 2 and 3 consisting in a turnkey lump sum design/build contract for a water intake in the Rimac river; the potable water treatment plant in Huachipa and a pipeline named northern leg or Cono Norte main line. The northern leg is a pressure pipeline of approximately 26 km long, including two 5 km tunnels, featuring a cross-section of 2.40 m x 2.40 m. There is no intermediate access so that there will be two drives in each tunnel from the entry and exit, each drive having a length of 2,500 metres. The Republic of Peru received a loan from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC). A time frame of 930 days is expected to prepare the designs and construct these important projects. Contact Servicio de agua potable y alcantarillado de Lima (Sedapal), Autopista Ramiro Prialé n° 210, Distrito de El Agustino, Lima. Tel. 51 13173036, fax +51 13623097 or visit www.sedapal.com.pe/contenido/lpi-004-2007bs.pdf 07/08.Consorcio Huachipa led by Brazilian construction firm Camargo Corríªa won the contract to design, build and operate the second biggest water treatment plant in Peru, valued at USD270.9 million. The new plant will be built in Huachipa, in the metropolitan area of Lima. Camargo Corríªa formed a consortium with French OTV, in which the Brazilian firm has an 81% share. As part of the contract, Camargo Corríªa will operate the plant for the first four years, investing USD33.7 million during the period. The Huachipa treatment plant will supply potable water to 2.4 million people in eight municipalities in the metropolitan region (Lurigancho, San Juan de Lurigancho, Comas, Carabayllo, Los Olivos, San Martí­n de Porres, Callao y Puente Piedra). As part of the project, the consortium will build a 10 cu m/s water intake on the Rimac river, the Huachipa water treatment plant for capacity of 5 cu m/s, a 26 km distribution network for capacity of 5 cu m/s, named northern leg, two tunnels, each 5 km long and 2.40 m x 2.40 m wide, and five reservoirs. Click pe/21. Visit www.camargocorrea.com.br 36/08.

The consortium composed of Webuild (leader with a 90% stake) and the local partner Tancrad (10%)  secured  a contract worth more than EUR 1 billion to build Lot 3 of the Sibiu-Pitesti Highway in Romania. Lot 3 is the most complex part of the highway because it will cross the Carpathian Mountains between Cornetu and Tigveni for 37.4 km, of which 12.5 km will include bridges and viaducts, and the 1.7 km long Poiana twin tunnel.  

The contract will be 85% financed by European Union funds and the remaining 15% by state funds.  In addition to the tunnel, bridges and viaducts, Lot 3 includes the design and construction of more than 23 km of a double-lane highway, two interchanges at Valeni and Cornetu, 18 km of consolidation works, the construction of a maintenance and control centre, and work to preserve the environment. There will also be an animal crossing at Olt River. It will help reduce traffic congestion between Cornetu and Tigveni by providing an alternative route to national roads.  

Contact CNAIR (Compania Naționala de Administrare a Infrastructurii Rutiere), Bucarest, tel +40 212643299, fax +40 212643298, email achizitiipublicebuget@andnet.ro. Visit https://www.webuildgroup.com/en/. Ref n. 16054368/2020/2002/S10. 19/22.  

  Together these two expressways will be 12 km in length with 9 km underground. Construction due to commence 2001 for completion of Kallang in 2005 and Paya Lebar in 2006. Fifteen companies have prequalified to tender for four contracts with a value US$500 million. Contract 421 is for design and construction of a tunnel from East Coast Parkway to Nicoll Highway crossing the Geylang river; contract 422 is for a tunnel from Nicoll Highway to Pan Island Expressway; contract 423 is for a tunnel from Pan Island Expressway to Paya Lebar Road crossing Pelton Canal; contract 424 is for a tunnel and depressed road with surface road from Paya Lebar Road to just north of the Bartley Road extension. More from www.lta.gov.sg/projects August 2000. Contractors shortlist includes overseas contractors Daewoo, Sato Kogyo, Dumez GTM, Penta-Ocean, Kumagai Gumi, Hyundai, Obayashi, Wayss & Freytag, and Impregilo. Local companies include Semb-Corp, Chew Eu Hock, L & M, Koh Brothers, Lum Chang and Econ Piling. Visit www.lta.gov.sg/projects Sept 2000. Contract 421 worth S$235 million secured by SembCorp Engineers and Constructors for the design, construction and completion of the 1.5 km tunnel from East Coast Parkway to Nicoll Highway. Cut-and-cover method. Visit www.lta.gov.sg 43/01. Contract 422 for the design, construction and completion of 1.64 km of tunnels from Nicoll Highway to the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) clinched by a jv of SembCorp Engineers and Constructors Pte Ltd and Daewoo Engineering & Construction Co Ltd. The tunnel will cross under Nicoll Highway, Mountbatten Road, Geylang Road, Sims Avenue and the PIE. Cut-and-cover method. Value of approximately $257 million. Visit www.gov.sg/lta 52/02. Contract 423 has been awarded by the Land Transport Authority to Samsung Corporation for the design, construction and completion of 2.96 km of tunnels from the Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) to Ubi Road 2. The tunnels will be constructed by the cut-and-cover method and will run beneath the Pelton Canal and Airport Road, crossing Aljunied Road, Merpati Road and Paya Lebar Road. Value $364 million. Work to begin later this month for completion in February 2007. Visit www.secc.co.kr and www.lta.gov.sg 28/02.Contract 424 has been commissioned to Taisei of Japan for the design, construction and completion of 2.6 km of tunnels from Ubi Road 2 to Defu Lane 3. The tunnels will also be constructed in cut-and-cover, running beneath Airport Road, Paya Lebar Air Base before surfacing at Defu Lane 3. Value $251 million. The project is due to be completed in early 2007. Visit www.taisei.co.jp 28/02.Mott MacDonald has been appointed by contractor Samsung to provide full detailed design services for a £137 million underground section of the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway, as part of Contract 423 which comprises a 2.9 km tunnel, two ventilation buildings, five slip roads, two road bridges and an interchange. The 36 m-wide cut-and-cover tunnels will run below a 27 m-wide stormwater canal. Designs will be finalised in one year and the expressway is scheduled to be completed by 2005. Visit www.mottmac.com. 33/02.

Negotiated invitation to tender, deadline 22nd April, 2008 for construction of lots A and B of the Las Lagunas-Cala de Mijas section on the Costa del Sol rail line. This section includes a 2 x 4 km tunnel. The two parallel tunnels will be bored using a pair of TBMs working towards La Cala de Mijas from the Fuengirola river. The time frame to complete the two contracts is 42 months. The first contract includes a shaft for the two TBMs, the electrical supply of the TBMs, the seaside, left tunnel, the cross passages to the parallel tube, a ventilation shaft, UIC track laying in the two tunnels and environmental restauration works. The second contract involves the hillside, right tunnel, the diaphragm wall station box for the future underground station in La Cala de Mijas, its internal structure and the external urban arrangements.The Costa del Sol rail line will enable high capacity trains with speeds of 220 to 250 km/h and suburban trains. The high capacity trains will provide very competitive services compared to private vehicles, with just 11.5 minutes from Estepona to Marbella and 10 minutes from Marbella to Fuengirola. The Ministry of development is responsible for the Fuengirola-Malaga section. So far, two thirds of the 30.4 km existing line has been dualled. The Andalusian regional government is in charge of the 56.6 km Estepona-Fuengirola section, which will run in majority underground in dense urban areas. Read E-News Weekly 10/2007, 50/2003. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=52060-2008 and http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=52059-2008, OJ S 38, or contact Ferrocarriles de la Junta de Andalucí­a, Sevilla, fax +34 955007573. E-mail carmen.camacho@ferrocarrilesdeandalucia.es 12/08.Open invitation to tender, deadline 20th May, 2008 for site supervision during construction of the Las Lagunas-Cala de Mijas section on the Costa del Sol rail line, including a 2 x 4 km tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=66452-2008, OJ S 48, or contact Ferrocarriles de la Junta de Andalucí­a, Sevilla, fax +34 955007573. E-mail carmen.camacho@ferrocarrilesdeandalucia.es 12/08.

Ineco secured a EUR590,000 contract for conceptual design for the extension of suburban rail line C-5 from Mostoles to Navalcarnero. The path of this train, an hybrid between a suburban line and a light rail, will not be really an extension of Line C-5 since it will start from Mostoles Central, connecting with the Metrosur line. This extension to Navalcarnero will travel below ground on 3 km in Mostoles, about 75% of the route, and will include four new stations. New underground stations will be built in Mostoles Central, Mostoles El Soto and at the future stop at the Logistic Platform. Visit www.ineco.es 45/06.Open call for tenders, deadline 25th June, 2007 for concession contract for the design, construction and operation of the new railway line from Mí³stoles Central to Navalcarnero, south of Madrid. The 15 km-long line will serve six stations, with reservation for a seventh, and 46% of it will run below ground. The line starts in Mostoles Central, where a new subterranean station will be built to connect suburban line C-5 with Line 12 Metrosur. Then it continues underground to the new Mostoles El Soto station, then leaves the urban area to pass beneath motorway A-5 and arrives at grade in the future Puerta del Atlantico station, that will provide service to a logistics platform. From that point, the line runs parallel to the Extremadura motorway before going underground to avoid Parque Coimbra. This new tunnel of more than three kilometres in Parque Coimbra's area will also make it possible to build another station, if the demand arises. Once more, the line will return to the surface and cross the Guadarrama river on a 525 m-long viaduct. Finally, the trains arrive in Navalcarnero, where two stations will be built, the first in the outskirts and the second in the city centre. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=107088-2007, OJ S 87, or contact Mintra, Alcorcí³n, fax +34 914880598. E-mail carmen.sierra@mintramadrid.es 20/07.Notice of public works concession, deadline 9th November, 2007 for supervision consultancy for the public works concession contract as well as construction and rolling stock supervision for the new Mí³stoles-Navalcarnero railway. The line starts in Mí³stoles Central and connects with the Metrosur line 12 of the Madrid metro. It includes a 3 km tunnel in Mí³stoles and three new underground stations. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=237040-2007, OJ S 195, or contact Mintra, Alcorcí³n, fax +34 914880598. E-mail maite.martin@mintramadrid.es 42/07.Construction of the 15 km railway line that will link Mí³stoles and Navalcarnero has been commissioned to OHL for EUR362.3 million and a time frame of 30 months. The Mí³stoles-Navalcarnero line will run underground on 46% of its alignment and will serve seven stations: four in Mí³stoles, one in Arroyomolinos and the last two in Navalcarnero. OHL will operate the line for 20 years. Visit www.ohl.es and www.ohlconcesiones.com 52/07-01/08.

Section II 'Cuesta' will be built by OHL and Serrano Aznar Obras Publicas, for EUR41.9 million and a time frame of 34 months. Intecsa-Inarsa will be responsible for construction management and quality control, for EUR865,200. This section includes a 12.3 km tunnel. Visit www.ohl.es and www.intecsa-inarsa.esSection III 'Los Machos' has been awarded to Necso for EUR33.7 million and a time frame of 31 months. The construction management and quality control, worth EUR854,480, has been commissioned to Eptisa. This section includes a 11 km tunnel. Visit www.necso.es and www.eptisa.esThe builders ordered two new Herrenknecht hard rock TBMs, 3.5 m in diameter, to build the infrastructure which will cross Los Machos mountain and El Caroig massif. Visit www.herrenknecht.comOther minor underground works are included in section I (two raise boring jobs and some length in tunnel) and in section IV 'Navalon', which necessitates 2.5 km of cut-and-cover tunnel. Section IV has been pocketed by Ferrovial Agroman and Sedesa Obras y Servicios, for EUR23.8 million and a time frame of 29 months. Eyser and Inclam Ingenieria del Agua will be in charge of the work management and quality control, for EUR753,760. Visit www.ferrovial.com and www.eyser.comThe water transfer scheme between the Jucar and Vinalopo regions is a 67 km infrastructure for water supply to 600,000 inhabitants and watering of 40,000 hectares of land in the Vinalopo, Alacanti and Marina Baixa regions in Alicante province. The Jucar-Vinalopo aqueduct is divided in seven sections and has been designed to transfer 5.65 cu m per second. Click here and here. Visit www.aguas-jucar.es 09/05.Open call for bids, deadline 21st April, 2005 for technical management of the Jucar-Vinalopo water tunnel, sections II Cuesta, III Los Machos and IV Navalon. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=043492-2005, OJ S 45, or contact Aguas del Jíºcar, Valencia, fax +34 963940482. E-mail info@aguas-jucar.es 11/05.IZ Ingenieros Consultores secured a EUR357,000 contract for technical management of the Jucar-Vinalopo water tunnel, sections II 'Cuesta', III 'Los Machos' and IV 'Navalon'. Section II 'Cuesta' includes a 12.3 km tunnel and section III 'Los Machos' includes a 11 km tunnel, each 3.5 m in diameter. Section IV 'Navalon' includes 2.5 km of cut-and-cover tunnel. Click es/124. 25/05.Open call for bids, deadline 21st March, 2006 for design of sections A to E of the new Jucar-Vinalopo aqueduct and connection with section V on the lower course of the Jucar river. The European Commission had conditioned a EUR80 million financing for the Jucar-Vinalopo water transfer to a new revision of the project. The modified project has required or will require to cancel the contracts previously signed with the successful bidders, who will receive compensation. Click here.The new Jucar-Vinalopo route takes advantage of sections V, VI and VII of the old alignment and re-uses section I, which will generate energy. With respect to sections II, III and IV, construction had not begun and the TBMs purchased to drive the tunnels within the previous scheme will be operated to drive the tunnels of the revised aqueduct (13 km in total). Click here. The new route has been divided into five sections (A to E). It is more environmentally friendly since it reduces to the minimum the impact on protected zones and contributes to safeguard the Vinalopo aquifers. Actually, the new water line will cross only 3.2 km of protected areas listed by the EU, while the previous alignment planned to cross 44.7 km of such areas. The total budget of the Jucar-Vinalopo water transfer is EUR225.6 million. Visit www.aguas-jucar.esSections A, D and E have no tunnels. Section B includes the Sierra de Corbera tunnel (2,720 m), which begins the first gravity stretch, and the Barxeta tunnel (2,950 m). The budget amounts to EUR43.8 million. Section C requires to bore the Sierra Requena tunnel (3,540 m) and the Sierra Grossa tunnel (3,920 m). The budget totals EUR49.7 million.The bidding stipulates a 4-month time frame for the project design and 20 months for construction. Out of these 20 months, it is estimated 18 months will be necessary for the construction of each section. The new Jucar-Vinalopo aqueduct could be concluded at the end of 2008. Click es/124. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=244880-2005, OJ S 248, or contact Aguas del Jucar, Valencia, fax +34 963940482. E-mail info@aguas-jucar.es 03/06.Open call for bids, deadline 22nd May, 2006 for design and construction of section B of the new Jucar-Vinalopo water transfer scheme. Section B includes the Sierra de Corbera tunnel (2,720 m), which begins the first gravity stretch, and the Barxeta tunnel (2,950 m). Click es/124. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=043525-2006, OJ S 41, or contact Aguas del Jucar, Valencia, fax +34 963940482. E-mail info@aguas-jucar.es 11/06.OHL, Serrano Aznar Obras Publicas and Ocide Construccion secured a EUR32 million contract to design and build section B of the Jucar-Vinalopo water transfer scheme. This section includes the Sierra de Corbera tunnel (2,720 m) and the Barxeta tunnel (2,950 m). Visit www.ohl.es 33-34/06.Typsa pocketed a EUR415,000 contract for on-site supervision and quality control for section B of the Jucar-Vinalopo water transfer. Section B includes the 2,720 m-long Sierra de Corbera tunnel and the 2,950 m-long Barxeta tunnel. Click here. Visit www.typsa.es 17/07.