Contract worth Rs 547.19 crore awarded for Kolkata Metro's Line-3 and Joka Depot

Kolkata Metro

Kolkata, India (Urban Transport News): The Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL) has recently awarded two major civil contracts worth Rs 547.19 crore for the construction of viaduct and two stations of Line-3 and Joka Depot of Kolkata Metro Rail project.

The contract for the construction of Metro Railway Viaduct from P276 to P314 including Mominpur Station and Majerhat Station (Excluding PD Building and OCC Building side) and Ramp at Joka depot end in connection with Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor of Kolkata Metro Rail project has been awarded to GPT Infraprojects Limited on 17th August 2020. The total value of LoA (letter of acceptance) is Rs 196.30 crore.

After the opening of technical bids on 29th July 2020, RVNL found that the GPT Infrastructure is sole bidder and the financial bids were opened on 14th August 2020 and it has been revealed that the bidder has quoted Rs 196.30 crore against RVNL's estimate of Rs 190.64 crore. Finally, the LoA has been issued in favour of GPT Infrastructure considering the fact that the project is getting delay by year by year. 

It is pertinent to mention here that the contract for construction of Majerhat Station along with 2 other stations at Taratala and Behala Bazar, was earlier awarded to Gammon India in April 2012 under Contract Package JMS-2.

The contract for the construction of PEB sheds, structures, buildings, P-way and utilities, general electrical works and supply, installation and commissioning of machinery and plant for setting up of Metro Car Depot at Joka in connection with Joka-Esplanade Metro Corridor has been awarded to ISGEC Heavy Engineering Limited on 26th August 2020. The total contract value is Rs 350.89 crore. The contractor has to complete the construction of the depot in 24 months.

After the opening of the financial bids of contract no. RVNL/M/KOL/JOKA/1 was opened on 22nd August 2020 where ISGEC Heavy Engineering Limited emerged as the lowest bidder among the other six contenders. However, 3 contenders were found disqualified during the technical evaluation of bids. Here are the financial positions of all bidders:

• ISGEC Heavy Engineering Limited: Rs 350.89 (L1)
• URC Construction – Taikisha JV: Rs 352.77 crore (L2)
• Power Mech Projects Ltd. – HYT Engg JV: Rs 358.48 crore (L3)
• Shapoorji Pallonji and Company: Rs 360.58 crore (L4)

However, the other three bidders viz. KEC International Ltd., SMS India Pvt Ltd. and Engineering Projects (India) Ltd. were found technically non-compliant as the terms of a tender notice issued by the RVNL in June 2020.

According to the tender notice, Joka Depot will be built on a 24.5-hectare land parcel and consist of 12 stabling lines (SBL) with a provision to build an additional 11 lines in the future, 2 inspection bays (2 x 220m x 27m, 8 Nos lines), 2 lifting bays (220m x 20m), 2 workshop bays (220m x 25m), one bogie shop (22m x 17m), a turn-table and a 60m x 8m auto coach washing plant.

It is pertinent to mention here that ISGEC’ had also been awarded the contract worth Rs 150.83 crore for the construction of Kothanur Depot of Phase 2 of Bangalore Metro Rail project.

The construction work of 16.5 km elevated corridor (Line-3) of Kolkata Metro has been underway since 2011 by Simplex Infrastructures under 2 packages (4.748 km Joka – Behala and 4.762 km Behala – Mominpur), but work couldn’t commence as per the schedule due to severe land acquisitions issues and pending approvals from the Indian Railways.