Maytas may win Bhutan hydropower project

Thimphu: Infrastructure and construction firm Maytas Infra, promoted by the family of Satyam Computers' founder B Ramalinga Raju, may bag the construction rights of Bhutan's Dagachu Hydropower Plant as it emerged as the lowest bidder for the project.

In a tender floated in July last year among four Indian construction companies for the construction of civil package of the project, the controversy-ridden Maytas Infra appears to be the likely winner, Bhutanese media reported.

With Maytas Infra quoting the lowest, the actual construction of the project, earlier scheduled to begin by February, 'will be delayed by two to three months', an official of the Dagachu Project said.

'Maytas Infra is the lowest bidder,' said the official of the 114-megawatt project but did not give details of the amounts quoted.

According to the newspaper, Maytas Infra quoted Nu 3.8 billion (Rs 380 crore). Hindustan Construction Company Ltd (HCC) quoted Nu 4.2 billion and Patel Engineering Nu 6 billion. The fourth company, Gammon India, was disqualified as it did not meet the tender requirements.

If awarded the work, the integrity pact of the contract document can be a hitch to the company, the official said. According to the document, the bidder has to commit that it will not be involved in any form of corruption.