Seven companies showed interest to refurbish the citywide riverside landscaping and recreational project along the Bantyketu River in Addis Abeba that extends from Urma Garage south to Afincho Ber in the north. The project costs 400 million Br and stretches over 4.4Km along the river banks and covers 12.8ha.
The project, tendered by River & Riverside Development Project Office, was opened publicly on June 21, 2018. Twenty-one companies purchased the bid document while only seven submitted technical and financial proposals.
Among the seven bidders was a local company, Rama Construction Plc., and the others consisted of China Communications Construction Co., China Wuyi Construction, China Jiangsu International Ethiopia Ltd, China Railway Seventh Group Construction Co., China Jiang Xi Corporation and Grampion Building Group.
“The project is expected to be completed in a three year period with a start date expected to start sometime in September or October of this year. The project will encompass recreational and business centres, landscaping works, bridges, ponds, walkways and parks,” according to Debela Biru, deputy head of the Office.
The Office, established three years ago, has also engaged the services of Blue Matrix and Image Consultancy to supervise the project at a cost of 10.2 million Br. Blue Matrix, which has been in business for over 5 years, has worked on Gimbi Town’s Landslide Assessment Project and the Erer Water Supply Project in the City of Harrar. Image Consultancy has been engaged for landscape design works by Ferensay Park Development and has been involved with other design work for various residential developments.
The overall project to study and revitalise the city’s rivers was conducted by Addis Abeba University at a cost of 34 million Br. The study addresses socio economic socioeconomic, landscape, pollution and sanitation impacts.
The plan will also include planting of indigenous trees along the banks of the river in addition to building recreational and business centres, providing plots for urban agricultural activities that covers almost 50ha of land.
The project goal is to make the city one of 15 cleanest cities in Africa by 2020, mitigate recurrent flooding impacts and to reduce water pollution in the rivers from household and industrial sources.
This year, the Office completed the revitalisation of Yemariam River in Qechene, and the Gulele and Gelagle rivers in Entoto in an attempt to alleviate severe landslide and soil erosions problems at a cost of 18.5 million Br.
Aziza Abdulfetah, lecturer and chairperson of the Landscape Architecture Department at Ethiopian Institute of Architecture, Building Construction & City Development believes that the implementation of the project must be closely followed.
Planning, designing and construction activities must be carefully synchronised given the topography of the area from Urma Garage to Kechene, where the width and depth of the rivers vary significantly and there are some natural riparian habitats in the area, according to Aziza.
“The construction should be able to conserve the water cycle in the environment,” she says, explaining that the smooth infiltration of water into the ground must not be disturbed to preserve the nearby springs and rivers.
The results of the technical evaluation of the bid will be announced before the end of this budget year, according to Weredekal G.Kirstos, member of the tender committee office.