In a strong response to the National Highways Authority of India’s (NHAI) tender for the balance work on the four-laning of the Pinjore-Baddi-Nalagarh highway, 11 companies have submitted bids for the Rs 594-crore project. The development comes nearly a year after the original contractor abandoned the work, leaving the crucial highway project in limbo.
The bids were opened on Tuesday after an unusually prolonged tendering process that witnessed 22 postponements since September 2025. NHAI officials said the technical evaluation of the bidders has begun and is expected to be followed by financial scrutiny before the contract is awarded.
Anand Dahiya, Project Director, NHAI, Shimla, said the technical assessment involves examining the financial strength and credentials of the participating firms. “The technical evaluation of the 11 bidders has begun. Parameters such as turnover, financial capacity and the companies’ existing commitments with NHAI are being examined,” he said.
The firms participating in the bidding process include MS Infranengineers Private Limited, Arif Engineers Private Limited, Bharat Constructions (India) Private Limited, New India Contractors & Developers Private Limited, Skylark Infra Engineering Private Limited, Kaluwala Construction Private Limited, BRN Infrastructures Private Limited, Haryana Kundu Buildtech Private Limited, Ganpati Bharat Private Limited, TMAP Projects LLP and RKCPL Limited. Gujarat-based Patel Infrastructure Limited, which had earlier been awarded the project, did not participate in the fresh bidding process.
After the technical scrutiny, the qualified firms will undergo financial evaluation, following which the lowest bidder will be identified. Officials indicated that the entire process could take around three months. The successful contractor will be required to complete the remaining work within two years.
The NHAI Executive Committee approved the revised estimate of Rs 594 crore for the balance work during its meeting on April 17. The authority is exercising caution while awarding the contract after its previous experience with Patel Infrastructure Limited, which had secured the project at a rate 37 per cent below the estimated cost but later failed to execute it, citing financial constraints.
The project suffered a major setback in June 2025 when Patel Infrastructure withdrew after completing only 45 per cent of the work over a period of 39 months. The company attributed its exit to delays in land acquisition and difficulties in shifting high-tension power lines and gas pipelines.
The 36-km highway stretch, including 17.37 km in Himachal Pradesh and the remaining portion in Haryana, serves as a vital connectivity corridor for the Baddi industrial belt. The project was launched in April 2022 with a completion target of September 2024. While Rs 305 crore has already been spent on land acquisition, the revised cost of the balance work reflects several additional components, including junction improvements, reinforced earth walls, lined drains, chute drains and enhanced traffic safety infrastructure such as bollards and thrie-beam crash barriers.
