ADB bars three Chinese companies from taking part in Nepal’s key infra project

KATHMANDU: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has blacklisted three Chinese construction companies from taking part in Nepal's key airport infrastructure development project. The blacklisted companies are China National Machinery Import & Export Corporation (CMC), Northwest Civil Aviation Airport Construction Group Co and China Harbour Engineering Company. The companies were blacklisted after the anti-corruption office of Manila-based multilateral funding agency punished them for violating integrity rules. Around 24 companies had purchased bid documents for Tribhuvan International Airport ultimate development project worth Rs 10 billion in Kathmandu. However, it has been reported that only four Chinese companies submitted them. The list of four companies includes two of the firms blacklisted by the ADB, according to officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) reported. The companies have been blacklisted only for ADB-funded projects but, if the ADB informs Nepal's public procurement monitoring office about their misconduct and the manner in which they were put on the sanctions list, it will be easy for Nepal to blacklist them too, an official said. However, the punitive actions will not be applied to ongoing projects the companies are currently undertaking, the official added. The ADB's action comes as the government is planning to upgrade the sole international airport citing the heavy congestion and low quality of services during peak hours.

(With inputs from ANI)

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