Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Nov 14: The long-delayed Bainguinim solid waste management project has inched forward, with six companies submitting their bids under the Request for Qualification (RFQ) stage floated by the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC).

Among the bidders is Hyderabad Integrated MSW Ltd, the operator of Goa’s Saligao waste treatment plant. The other companies that responded to the tender are Hindustan Waste Treatment Pvt Ltd, 3R Management Ltd, Srinivas Waste Management Services Pvt Ltd, Organic Recycling Systems Pvt Ltd, and HNB Engineers Pvt Ltd.

A senior GWMC official said the RFQ stage is only the first filter in the process. “This is meant to identify firms that are technically and financially capable of handling large-scale waste management projects,” he explained.

Once the scrutiny of documents is complete, GWMC will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to the shortlisted bidders, inviting them to submit detailed technical and financial bids. “This is a major project and must follow all due procedures. Naturally, the final contract award will take time,” the official added.

The corporation had earlier extended the bid submission deadline from October 31 to November 10, giving interested firms additional time to prepare their applications.

The tender covers a comprehensive 100-tonne-per-day (TPD) waste processing facility, including design, engineering, financing, construction, installation, commissioning, performance run, and 15 years of operation and maintenance.

Proposed back in 2019, the Bainguinim project has faced years of delay due to technical challenges, administrative hurdles, and local resistance. GWMC officials now say that earlier objections have been addressed and all necessary approvals — including environmental clearance — are in place, paving the way for the project to finally move ahead.