TTD plans packaged, compact substations in Tirumala to meet additional power load
Tirupati: To meet the increasing power load atop the hill town, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has come up with a plan to erect packaged and compact power substations that augment Tirumala’s power infrastructure.
The installation of these also helps to free up the precious space atop Tirumala, which is facing space constraints.
The sacred abode of Lord Venkateswara atop Tirumala is one of the most populous pilgrim centres, witnessing around 60,000 to 1,00,00 pilgrim visits a day. Tirumala, spread across 10.33 sq miles, has space constraints. The temple authority is overburdened in terms of extending accommodation facilities for the ever-growing pilgrim population.
In this context, TTD has been developing accommodation facilities in Tirupati as also refurbishing the existing rooms and amenity complexes in Tirumala. The temple body has renovated the rooms and guest homes in Tirumala, including toilets and bathrooms, with water geysers. This has placed further strain on the existing electrical infrastructure while power became the fourth essential need for pilgrims -- darshan, food, and shelter being the other three.
The temple authority had, in October last year, called tenders for the supply, erection, testing and commissioning of compact substations of (11 kV/ 433V; 500kVA) 11 kV VCBs to meet the additional water heater loads in Tirumala. However, tenders were cancelled so as to revise technical specifications. After revision, open tenders were invited in June and three bidders participated in these.
Two bidders qualified for the tender. Later, a financial bid was opened and two bidders participated in a reverse auction process, in July, with the opening price kept at Rs 5.85 crore and with decrement value of 0.50 per cent. At end of the reverse auction, M/s Power Solutions, Hyderabad emerged as the final bidder, quoting Rs 5.70 crore (excluding GST).
The final bidder voluntarily reduced the tender rates to Rs 5.67 crore, which was Rs 49.69 lakh less than the guidance estimate value of Rs 6.16 crore for the supply, erection, testing and commissioning of packaged-type compact sub-station at various locations. Based on the works committee’s recommendations, the TTD board recently accepted the reduced lowest-cost tender and works have been commissioned.
