Joint ventures of HCC, L&T and J Kumar bag contracts for the Colaba-Bandra-Seepz project; work to start after monsoon; expected to be completed by 2021
The proposed underground Colaba-Bandra-Seepz metro rail project moved a step closer to reality with with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation (MMRC) awarding civil work contracts worth Rs 18,114.9 crore awarded to five infrastructure and construction companies for the project.
The joint ventures that bagged the project are Hindustan Construction Co-MMS (Russia), Larsen & Toubro-STEC, Dogus-Soma, CEC-ITD CEM-TPL and J Kumar-China Railway Tunnel Group (CRTG).
After the companies had submitted their bids, the project estimates only for the civil works shot up due to 28 counts from Rs 10,188 crore to Rs 18,114.9 crore. The bids were to be awarded in September 2015 but got delayed due to cost escalation of 77.8%.
Only the joint ventures of J Kumar-CRTG (Rs 4,935.42 crore) and L&T-STEC (Rs 5,269.98 crore) have bagged two packages each out of the seven packages from the construction of the total 32.5-km line.
Following the announcement, shares of HCC rose 2.15%, L&T 9.45% while J Kumar shot up the highest at 19.35%.
The metro line is crucial as it will connect the major central business district areas of Nariman Point and Bandra-Kurla Complex, domestic and international airports and industrial areas of MIDC and Seepz, said an MMRC official.
Additionally, it also connects various areas in island city and suburbs that are not served by existing suburban railways, that is, Kalbadevi, Worli, Prabhadevi and Andheri (East). The corridor will provide interchanges with Western Railways at Churchgate, Mumbai Central and Mahalakshmi; for Central Railway at CST; for Monorail at Mahalaxmi and for Metro-1 at Marol Naka. It will also provide connectivity to the upcoming Dahisar-DN Nagar-Bandra-Mankhurd Metro-2 for seamless travel at Bandra Kurla Complex.
"The daily ridership on the corridor is estimated as 14 lakh in 2021 and is expected to rise to 17 lakh in 2031. The commercial operations are scheduled to commence between SEEPZ and BKC in 2020 and on the entire route by 2021," an MMRC official said.
The bidding process is currently underway for other contracts like electronic system, rolling stock, platform screen doors and ventilation.
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