AP to withdraw tenders invited under Swiss Challenge Method for Amaravati Construction

The AP government is likely to withdraw tender inviting proposals for construction of Amaravati capital region through Swiss Challenge method. The state cabinet had approved the Swiss Challenge mode of development in June 2016 and issued tenders on July 17, 2016 inviting better proposal than the Singapore Consortium companies Ascendas-Sunbridge and Sembcorp. The method was challenged by Aditya Housing & Infrastructure Development Ltd and Envian Engineers Pvt Ltd in High Court where the Apex court stayed the notification on the grounds of lack of transparency, the state government appealed against Single bench order. When the appeal came for hearing before a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Ramesh Ranganathan and Justice U. Durga Prasad Rao, AP A-G D. Srinivas has informed the government move. He said that government would withdraw tenders and float fresh tenders as per new changes brought in APIDE Act. Under the amended ruled of APIDE, each department is set to take its own decisions rather than to follow decisions taken by apex bodies.