Buda likely to finalise contractor for Belagavi city master plan

Belagavi: The long-pending master plan for Belagavi city and the surrounding 55 villages, envisioned as the blueprint for the next 20 years of development, hit repeated hurdles. However, fresh momentum emerged with 2 bids received under the latest re-tender process floated by the Belagavi Urban Development Authority (Buda).The earlier contract was cancelled after the selected firm failed to deposit the mandatory security amount within the stipulated time. With no response from the contractor even after the notice was issued, Buda was forced to scrap the agreement and restart the process.The authority has now invited fresh tenders to prepare the master plan on a GIS basis at an estimated cost of Rs 1.9 crore, with a completion timeline of 15 months. Two bids were submitted before the deadline. Officials said both proposals will undergo technical evaluation, and only those meeting eligibility criteria will qualify for the next stage. The financial bids will be opened thereafter to identify the lowest eligible bidder. If the process proceeds without further setbacks, Buda is expected to finalise a contractor at the earliest.Belagavi's existing master plan expired in March 2021. In 2020, under the Amrut scheme, the work was assigned to EGIS; however, the contract was terminated following a dispute over bill payments. Subsequently, the urban development department transferred responsibility to Buda. Two tender attempts failed earlier, and although a contractor was selected in the third round, the agreement was cancelled due to non-payment of the security deposit.The proposed master plan will cover Belagavi city and 55 surrounding villages, outlining residential, commercial and industrial zones, road networks, transport infrastructure, environmental safeguards, public amenities and industrial corridors for the next 2 decades. It will also define village boundaries and land-use classifications.In the absence of a valid master plan, decisions related to urban expansion and zoning remain uncertain. Stakeholders are now watching closely to see whether the tender process concludes smoothly and the long-awaited plan is completed within the stipulated timeframe.