Transylvanian construction project scares off bidders

Five out of the six teams shorlisted for a €1bn motorway project in the Transylvania region of Romania have not submitted bids for the deal.

One bidder has submitted a proposal and has now been set a deadline to begin work on the plans

The country’s National Company for Road Infrastructure Management (CNAIR) confirmed that only the joint venture between two Istanbul-based contractors, Mapa Group and Cengiz Holdings, submitted a proposal by the 20 October deadline.

In July, six teams were chosen and given two months to prepare their bids. This was then extended to three months.

Following the announcement, Mapa and Cengiz will have 18 months to design the project, with a further 50 months to complete construction.

The tender is for the second section of a 122km highway between Sibiu and Pitesti. This extends 31km over mountainous terrain from the town of Cornetu, on the western outskirts of Bucharest, to the commune of Boita in Transylvania.

Upon completion, the project will be the first motorway to cross the Carpathian mountains, linking the capital to the country’s western border.

It will be split into five sections, with the Cornetu–Boita including the creation of 49 bridges and viaducts, alongside seven tunnels.