Favoured Gozo-Malta Car Tunnel Bidder Has Yet To Be Asked For Its Project Plans
Although a favoured bidder for the proposed Malta-Gozo vehicle tunnel has been selected, the project is at such an early stage that Infrastructure Malta has yet to even ask them for their plans.
After Infrastructure Malta announced that it had selected a multinational consortium as its favourite bidder, Lovin Malta submitted a Freedom of Information request for the plans submitted by the consortium so far.
However, the authority confirmed that it isn’t in possession of these plans and hasn’t asked for them yet.
“The results published pertained to a Pre Qualification Questionnaire, the scope of which was to allow the Evaluation Committee to verify and evaluate whether a Candidate has the necessary technical and financial capabilities to undertake the Project, including whether a Candidate has the relevant skills, experience and business practices to carry out the works and provide the services required for the Project against an established criteria,” Infrastructure Malta said.
“At this stage no plans were requested from the bidding companies.”
In June 2020, four bidders were shortlisted as hopefuls for the lucrative project, which both major political parties have expressed support for.
After evaluating the bidders, Infrastructure Malta announced it had chosen a multinational consortium composed of five companies – the UK’s Equitix, Japan’s Itochu, Turkey’s Yapi Merkezi and Makyol and France’s Egis – as its preferred bidder.
An appeal was promptly filed with the Public Contracts Review Board by two other bidders for the project – Malta-Gozo Fixed Link Limited, which is fronted by businessman Luke Chetcuti, and CGYI Malta-Gozo Consortium, which includes China Communications Constructions Co.
The latter company had carried out a study on behalf of the Maltese government, exploring the feasibility of undertaking such a project.
Malta-Gozo Fixed Link is accusing authorities of failing to adhere to the procedures indicated in its pre-qualification questionnaire while CGYI Malta Gozo Consortium referred to a typographical error in one of the documents presented to it, which was the direct cause of its disqualification.
Times of Malta reported today that the appeal could delay the project by up to six months.
Photo: Gozo Tourism Association
According to documents published earlier this year, the tunnel is to have a life above 120 years and will have to cater for a minimum of 9,000 vehicles per day.
Of this total, 5% have to be heavy vehicles, with access to bicycles and pedestrians forbidden.
The tunnel will be 14 kilometres long with two separate lanes in either direction, each measuring 3.5 metres wide, with preliminary plans indicating that the entrances and exits for the tunnel would be in Imbordin l/o Mġarr in Malta and on the outskirts of Nadur in Gozo.
However, with Prime Minister Robert Abela recently pledging to publish government-commissioned studies for a Malta metro for public consultation, questions have been raised as to whether the tunnel is even necessary.
Architect Konrad Xuereb, who has drafted detailed plans for a metro, has repeatedly urged the authorities to scrap its Gozo-Malta tunnel plans and instead connect the islands via a train as part of a national system.
Cover photo: The Ta’ Pinu shrine in Għarb, Gozo
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