Mumbai: Canadian architecture firm Norr Group is likely to design the Chhatrapati Shivaji Memorial proposed to come up near Mumbai in the Arabian Sea.
Norr has also previously designed the famous Burj Khalifa and Atlantis-The Palm in the sea in Dubai. The proposed Rs 1,900 crore Shivaji Memorial that had twice failed to attract more than a single bid for the job of the project management consultant (PMC) has now received bids from three international consultants. These include US-based Egis group, a consortium of the Indo-French firm STUP Consultants Put Ltd, Fairford consultants and Design Associates, a consortium of Pentacle Consultants and Canada-based Norr Group.
According to additional chief secretary of General Administration Department (GAD), P S Meena, the technical and financial bids of consortium of Pentacle and Norr Group have been approved by the committee that was set up for the memorial. We don’t believe that Pentacle, which is an Indian firm has experience of constructing anything inside seas. Whereas its partner Norr, Canadian firm, is an expert in designing and supervising such types of constructions in the sea,” Meena said.
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP (SOM) was the architect of the unique design of Burj Khalifa, the highest tower in the world in Dubai, while Norr Group Consultants International Ltd, was the supervisor of the architect of the iconic building. The Norr Group was also commissioned to deliver a comprehensive architectural and engineering service during all stages of the design and construction of the Atlantis -The Palm, also in Dubai.
Meena said a meeting will be held with Norr and Pentacle on August 7 at Mantralaya where the final decision of awarding the tender will be taken. “We will confirm from Norr, if they are interested in proceeding with the work of the Memorial using their expertise as Pentacle alone cannot complete the work,” Meena said. The memorial includes an equestrian statue of the warrior King, an amphitheatre, a museum and an under water aquarium, is proposed to come up on an elliptical rock 1.2 km from Raj Bhavan, in the Arabian Sea off Mumbai.
