The construction contract for the EUR133 million Lai Chi Kok Transfer Scheme, advertised at tunnelbuilder.com earlier this year, has been awarded to Leighton Asia. The project includes two 4.9 m-diameter storm water drainage tunnels with total length of 3.7 km between West Kowloon reclamation and Lai Chi Kok and Sham Shui Po districts, six intake shafts, a stilling basin, an outfall adit into Victoria Harbour, and 270 m of 3 m-diameter connection adits. Work starts immediately for completion in 2012. More from Quinnie Lee, tel +852 2823 1427, e-mail quinnie.lee@leightonasia.com 47/08..

Contract valued EUR414,000 awarded by Norwegian Railway Infrastructure Administration to Norconsult AS of Sandvika to provide technical and detailed plans of tunnels for the joint project E6 road and Dovrebanen, lot Minnesund-Kleverud, which includes one twin-tube 0.6 km-long road tunnel and 3.1 km of single railway tunnel over a 17 km-long alignment in Eidsvoll and Stange municipalities. ..

Contract for telecommunications installations for 6.5 km section of new double railway track in Baerum municipality for Lysaker-Sandvika, of which 5.5 km in tunnel, awarded by Jernbaneverket to T Connect AS of Manglerud, Oslo. http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=292852-2008 More from Olaf Bjerknes, tel +47 9943 4144, e-mail olbj@jbv.no 46/08. ..

Bemel Norge AS of Majorstuen, Oslo has been awarded the contract to supply ventilation fans to the 5.37 km-long Atlantic Ocean tunnel between Kristiansund and Bremnes on National Road 64 in the value EUR555,000...

Pre-feasibility study being undertaken by ILF Consulting Engineers for construction of single track railway line along the Karakorum highway between the end of the existing railway network in the south at Havelian and the border between Pakistan and China near the famous Khunjrab Pass in the north.

Prequalification underway by MTR for tender reference no 703 for West Island Line SHW to SYP tunnels value EUR30 million with a view to selective invitations to tender being issued in 4Q/2008 for contract award in 3Q/2009. Expressions of interest to Malcolm O’Neill, tel 3921 3383, e-mail moneill@mtr.com.hk Visit www.mtr.com.hk/eng/tenders/new_projects.html 45/08.

Prior information notice for construction works, value EUR24.86 million, for a undergroung cut-and-cover tunnel from Pabellon Moises Ruiz to Plaza de Barcelona, 1,1 km, with 0.8 m-thick base, 1.0 m-thick walls and 1.0 m-thick roof, on Carretera de Ronda, in Almeria. The works will include intermodal station.

Negotiated invitation to tender, deadline 5th May, 2008 for boreholes with a diameter of 1.2 m up to a depth of 20 m and one borehole up to a depth of 30 m on section 8760 Aich-Althofen of the Koralm line from Graz to Klagenfurt. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=103247-2008, OJ S 76, or contact ÖBB Infrastruktur, Vienna, fax +43 4242930003746 or 4242930005699. E-mail manfred.lientschnig@bau.oebb.at 18-19/08.

Tender notice, deadline 29th May, 2008 for feasibility study, detailed technical analysis and design for a new highway in the Tirana/Durazzo/Rrogozhine/Elbasan region. The project is expected to comprise approximately some 30-34 km of single carriageway including approximately 2 to 3 km of tunnel. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=103286-2008, OJ S 77, or contact Delegation of the European Commission in Albania, Contracts, finance and audit section, Rruga e Durresit, 127/1 (Laprake), Tirana, Albania. 18-19/08.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 2nd June, 2008 for safety and health coordination for Line 9 of the Barcelona metro related to the infrastructure, stations and installations of several sections. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=98894-2008, OJ S 73, or contact GISA, Barcelona, fax +34 934444488. E-mail correu@gisa.es 17/08.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 19th May, 2008 for design of a new metro line from Chamartin to Torrejon de Ardoz (infrastructure and fit-out). The new line, 7.5 km in length, includes three stations (Avenida de la Constitución, Londres and Soto del Henares) and will run below ground through the industrial parks of San Fernando de Henares and in Torrejon de Ardoz. The line will start from San Fernando de Henares near the M-45 then heading north to Torrejon de Ardoz and Soto del Henares. It then emerges to the surface near the M-50 and connects with the Madrid-Barcelona rail line and ends at Chamartin station, providing interchange with lines 1 and 10. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=100497-2008, OJ S 74, or contact Mintra, Madrid, fax +34 914880598. 17/08.

Negotiated invitation to tender, deadline 30th May, 2008 for construction of the new Midgardsormen sewage system along Akerselva and at Bjørvika to Gamlebyen in Oslo. The pipeline will go into a rock tunnel to Bekkelaget treatment plant where a pump station will be constructed. The project will be built using microtunnelling (approx. 2,500 m long, 2,000 mm inner diameter), with launch and reception shafts, and drilling (500-600 mm inner diameter). The project will mainly be 8-15 mm deep. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=103258-2008, OJ S 76, or contact Oslo Kommune, Oslo, fax +47 23437241. E-mail erik.bjoranesset@vav.oslo.kommune.no 17/08.

The federal Transport Secretariat is considering a proposal from Metro Córdoba, a consortium of Iecsa, Ghella and Alstom, to build a 15.8 km metro network with 17 stations in the city of Córdoba with private finance. Comprising two routes (north-south and east-west) with tunnels 9 m in diameter excavated with TBMs and running at a depth of 9 m below the surface, the project has been costed at USD1.1 billion.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 23rd June, 2008 to design the 18.2 km Ribes de Freser bypass road-La Molina section on road N-152 in Girona province. The section includes the 1,790 m Toses tunnel, a single bore bidirectional tunnel for two 3.5 m lanes, two shoulders and a berm. Read E-News Weekly 5/2005 & 7/2003. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=91926-2008, OJ S 68, or contact Ministry of development, Madrid, fax +34 915978547 or 915978470. E-mail jmmendoza@fomento.es or cpublic@fomento.es 16/08.

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. Read E-News Weekly 5/2008, 25/2007, 18/2006, 42/2005 & 51/2002. 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.

Notice of concession contract, deadline 6th October, 2008 for design, build, finance and operation of the Torricelle tunnel in Verona, which is the missing link on the northern ring road between the east and west bypass roads. The project is 12 km long and comprises mainly a bridge in the Adige river and a 2 km twin bore tunnel from Ca’ Rossa di Poiano to Avesa. The cost estimate of the tunnel is EUR290 million. Read E-News Weekly 40/2007 & 17/2007. Visit www.traforo-torricelle.it for more. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=95483-2008, OJ S 71, or contact City of Verona, Verona, fax +39 0458 079300. E-mail traffico@comune.verona.it 16/08.

Invitation for bids, deadline 5th June, 2008 for construction of a powerhouse complex comprising a surge shaft, pressure shafts, machine hall, erection bay, control bay, transformer cavern, pot head yard, cable tunnel, MAT, tailrace tunnel and other tunnels for the 111 MW Sawra Kuddu hydroelectric project in Shimla district. Read E-News Weekly 33/2007 & 1/2003. Visit http://hppcb.nic.in/EIAKudduHEP/Chap1.pdf for more on the project. Contact Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Ltd, General Manager (contracts), Shanti Kutir, Kamna Nagar, Chakkar, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India 171005. Tel. +91 1772832513, Fax +91 1772832307, e-mail hppc.contracts@gmail.com. Visit http://tenders.gov.in/viewtenddoc.asp?tid=hp126835&wno=1&td=TD 16/08.

Invitation for prequalification, deadline 2nd May, 2008 to shortlist design and construct contractors for underground stations and tunnels including ventilation and air conditioning for the Bangalore metro rail project. It is proposed to execute the underground sections under the contract BMR/UG-1 (north-south corridor) and the contract BMR/UG-2 (east-west corridor). Contract BMR/UG-1 runs from north of Majestic station (included) to south of City Market station (included). It comprises the design and construction of approx. 4.5 kilometres and includes approx. 2.6 km of twin tunnels, 600 metres of ramps and three underground stations (Majestic, Chickpete and City Market). It is considered that the construction of the tunnel will be by the use of NATM.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 22nd May, 2008 for construction supervision (four lots) of the new Kaiser-Wilhelm rail tunnel between Cochem and Ediger-Eller. This is a single-track tunnel, 4.2 km in length, that will be built by TBM parallel to the existing tunnel. Read E-News Weekly 9/2008, 36/2006 & 13/2004. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=95970-2008, OJ S 71, or contact DB ProjektBau, Frankfurt, fax +49 6926545772 or 6926543272. 16/08.

Open invitation to tender, deadline 13th May, 2008 for geotechnical studies for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Read E-News Weekly 42/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=90605-2008, OJ S 67, or contact Conseil général de l’Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 16/08. Open invitation to tender, deadline 13th May, 2008 for hydrogeological study for the northern ring road in Grenoble, a 2 x 6 km road link to connect the A41 and A480 highways. Its route is mainly underground, in shallow cut-and-cover tunnels or deep bored tunnels. Read E-News Weekly 42/2007. Visit http://ted.europa.eu/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=90606-2008, OJ S 67, or contact Conseil général de l’Isère, Grenoble, fax +33 476003919. 16/08.

Negotiated invitation to tender, deadline 16th May, 2008 for the appointment of a delivery partner or partners (two separate lots). Lot 1 concerns a programme delivery partner in order to fulfil CLRL’s obligations under the enabling legislation to safely deliver the overall programme, to time, to the desired quality and within the forecast outturn cost.

Invitation to tender, deadline 5th May, 2008 for construction of the Serrières tunnel on highway N5, consisting of a 830 m pilot tunnel for the north tube, a 728 m pilot tunnel for the south tube, the 830 m main north tunnel and the 773 m main south tunnel. The pilot tunnels will be built by a 3.60 m-diameter TBM.