As many as 64 well-reputed international companies, having experience of implementing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) projects from across the globe, have expressed their keen interest to execute safe drinking water project for rural areas' population in Punjab province, which is being managed by Punjab Saaf Pani Company (PSPC).
Renowned multinational companies from Australia, Austria, China, France, Iran, South Korea, Malaysia, Turkey and United Arab Emirates have submitted their proposals for pre-qualification for 14 contracts worth US $1.15 billion in first phase to implement safe drinking water solutions (water filtration plants) in 35 priority tehsils of ten districts in the biggest province of Pakistan. More than 23 million rural people of 7,496 villages will have sustained access to safe & clean drinking water in the wake of execution of first phase of multi-billion dollar project.
PSPC has received more than 440 pre-qualification proposals for above mentioned 14 contracts from 64 international companies, some of them have collaborated with local Pakistani companies to execute the project in the form of joint venture, said a spokesman of the Punjab Saaf Pani Company here on Friday. Currently, evaluation of pre-qualification documents submitted by in international companies like Vinci, Somi Group, SMK Ulusal, MPE Engineering, Hyundai, Veolia Water Systems, Osmoflo, Solar Dynamics, etc is being carried out and afterwards tender documents will be issued for the award of these 14 contracts to the pre-qualified companies for execution of safe & clean drinking water project in an efficient manner.
In the wake of two successful road shows in Dubai and China, PSPC received an overwhelming response from international companies and joint ventures interested in execution of clean drinking water project in rural areas of Punjab. "It is the result of our sustained efforts that so many international companies have shown their interest in execution of safe drinking water project in Punjab province. We have also facilitated visits of interested companies' staffers to the project sites to have better geographical and project understanding," says Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, CEO PSPC.
Safe & clean drinking water supply project is a mega project costing approximately US $3000 million, which will cover 137 tehsils [20,000 villages] to provide basic necessity of life to over 50 million rural population in province of Punjab. This landmark programme will provide safe drinking water to every household within 0.5 km radius in a comprehensive, integrated and sustainable manner. Punjab government established the autonomous, government-owned and fully financed PSPC to improve safe drinking water supply as per the World Health Organization's Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality in rural areas of the province.