Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Apr 21 (PTI) A Rs 1600 crore tender has been floated for civil construction in connection with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in Aundha in Maharashtra’s Hingoli district, its spokesperson said on Monday.

LIGO-India, the foundation stone of which was laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2023, is an extremely sensitive interferometer of 4 kilometre arm length capable of sensing gravitational waves generated during merger of massive astrophysical objects such as black holes and neutron stars.

Speaking to PTI on Monday, LIGO spokesperson Professor Sanjit Mitra called the development a “big milestone” for the project, which he said is expected to be completed by 2030.

“A tender of Rs 1600 crore for civil construction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has been floated. The scope of work will include construction of an administrative building, vacuum tubes, end station, place to host computers as well as other buildings in Aundha,” he said.

“The in-principle approval to the project, which will boost gravitational astronomy, was given by the Union cabinet in 2016. The project will come up on a 174-acre plot, which was selected because of low seismic noise since detectors are very sensitive. The area also has less rain and winds, which are factors that can disturb observations,” the official said.

This facility, which will be third after Hanford (Washington) and Livingston (Louisiana) in the United States of America, will be funded by the department of atomic energy and department of science and technology, Prof Mitra informed. PTI AW BNM