Government seeks tenders for 300 million highway project

THE tendering process for the new Paphos-Polis highway project, worth over 300 million euros, began this week with the participation of 60 representatives from five large consortia.

Addressing the meeting, which will continue today, Transport Minister Harris Thrassou said the principle aim of the gathering was to discuss and clarify various issues concerning the bidding process so that those consortia considering an offer can have their questions answered before making a tender.

Consortia tendering for large projects can spend as much as 3 million euros putting together a bid.

“I am very pleased to note that the pre-qualified Consortia include world known leading companies, with extensive experience in constructing and operating highway projects,” said Thrassou.

“The presence of high standing participants from these companies in the consultation meetings reveals a remarkable interest in this project.”
The five would-be bidders are:

1. Paphos-Marion Consortium, which includes the French giant Boygues Travaux Publics, and local contractors Iacovou Brothers, General Constructions and George P. Zachariades Ltd.

2. Elliniki Technodomiki and Bifinger Berger BOT

3. Strabag-Nemesis

4. Kinyras Consortium with J&P and Vinci Concessions SA and Cybarco
Thrassou said the Paphos-Polis motorway would be the first highway project in Cyprus constructed with the Design, Build, Finance and Operate method.

“It is envisaged that the award and execution of this project by the above method will provide a high quality motorway of European standard, that will serve the growing traffic safely and effectively,” he said.

“The government policy is to provide a safe and comfortable road network that will assist in the economic and social development of the whole island and discourage depopulation of the countryside.”

Thrassou said the new highway would have a significant impact on the development of Cyprus, especially in improving accessibility and in turn economic and tourist prospects of the Paphos-Polis area.

The Paphos-Polis Motorway will be a complicated project, with a significant number of major structures including three tunnels, seven viaducts, and extensive earthworks.

The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.